BFS6
BFS6: 6m to 12m habitat strip next to watercourses
£742.00
info Summary
Establish and maintain a 6m to 12m wide habitat strip next to a watercourse, with a mix of grassland, native trees, and scrub. Livestock must be excluded.
format_list_bulleted What to do
Establish and maintain a 6m to 12m wide habitat strip next to a watercourse by allowing natural regeneration or planting native riparian species. Manage it to create an open canopy and control weeds, while avoiding livestock access, vehicle use, fertilisers, and most pesticides.
schedule When to do
The habitat strip must be established within the first 12 months of the agreement and then maintained each year after that.
checklist How to do
You must follow the mandatory requirements of the action in a way that is reasonably expected to achieve its aim.
description Evidence Required
You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:
- field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
- photographs and other documentation
If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.
tips_and_updates Additional Advice
Advice is provided on establishing the strip (sowing grass/herbs, planting native species), managing it (staged management, creating open canopy), preventing livestock access with fencing, and available capital grants.
View Official Guidelines
Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website
SFI 2026 Announcement
Read details about SFI 2026 changes, definitions, and what to expect on the Defra farming blog