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SW3

In-field grass strips

Countryside Stewardship open_in_new View on RPA Website

£765.00

per hectare · yearly

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship action establishes and maintains in-field grass strips on cultivated land at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff, aiming to reduce sediment, nutrient, and pesticide transport while enhancing biodiversity. The strips must be established in the first year and cut annually after July 15th, with restrictions on fertilisers, pesticides, and livestock access.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Establish and maintain an in-field grass strip with an intact grass sward, free from vehicle or stock damage.
  • Cut the entire strip during late summer, after the bird breeding season, to encourage a dense sward.
  • Do not apply fertilisers or manures.
  • Do not use pesticides, except for weed wiping or spot treating specific weeds.
  • Do not allow livestock access to the strip.

schedule When to do

  • Establish the dense grassy area during the first 12 months of the agreement.
  • Maintain the strip for the period of the agreement.
  • Cut the entire area every year after 15 July (during late summer, after the bird breeding season).

checklist How to do

  • Establish or maintain a dense grassy area during the first 12 months.
  • Cut the entire area every year after 15 July once established.
  • Improve water infiltration on the strip by managing adjoining land.
  • Create strips on natural drainage pathways or long, sloping fields (parallel to slope, alternated with cultivated strips).
  • Do not overlap public rights of way.
  • Remove subsoil compaction if needed for seedbed preparation (except on archaeological features).
  • Control weeds and cut regularly in the first 12-24 months of establishment.
  • Avoid cutting when soil is wet.
  • Ensure the strip remains in place and is not re-sown for the agreement duration.

description Evidence Required

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

  • Improve water infiltration on the grass strip by managing adjoining land.
  • Use at field margins vulnerable to erosion.
  • Create on natural drainage pathways or long, sloping fields (parallel to slope).
  • Do not overlap public rights of way.
  • Remove subsoil compaction for seedbed (except on archaeological features).
  • Control weeds and cut regularly during establishment (first 12-24 months).
  • Avoid cutting when soil is wet.
  • The strip should remain in place for the agreement duration.
  • Consider SW7 for more than 30% of a parcel.
  • This option supports an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach and is beneficial for biodiversity.

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

open_in_new Visit RPA Website

info Additional Information

SW3: In-field grass strips

How much will be paid

£765 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier

  • Only on cultivated land identified on the Farm Environment Record (FER) as at risk of soil erosion or surface runoff
  • Only on part parcels that are no more than 30% of the parcel area

Related Mid Tier options

The following options can be located on the same area as this option.

How this option will benefit the environment

Grass areas or strips will help to reduce the quantity of sediment, nutrients and pesticides transported through surface runoff water, both within fields and from field to field.

Aims

If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

Throughout the year there will be an in-field grass strip. Establish this during the first year and maintain for the period of the agreement. There will be an intact grass sward with no evidence of damage from vehicle or stock access routes.

During late summer, after the bird breeding season, cut the entire strip to encourage a dense sward with a variety of grasses to grow.

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities.

  • Apply any fertilisers or manures
  • Use pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
  • Allow livestock access to the strip

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.

Recommended management

To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.

We recommend that you:

  • establish or maintain a dense grassy area during the first 12 months of the agreement
  • once it has been established, cut the entire area every year after 15 July

Keeping Records

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices

Additional guidance and advice

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

How to achieve the best results

Improve water infiltration on the grass strip through appropriate management of the adjoining land. Strips will trap sediment better if large volumes of overland flow are not coming from surrounding land.

This option can be used at the margins of fields that are vulnerable to erosion to capture sediment or materials carried in runoff water.

Creating breaks, such as hedgerows and woodland, on long, steep slopes will complement the grass strips.

How to choose a site

The grass strip should be created:

  • on natural drainage pathways (for example, the bottom of a valley) to stop runoff water from creating rills and gullies
  • on long, sloping fields, with the strip placed parallel to the slope and alternated with wide, cultivated strips to slow runoff water and trap sediment and organic material
  • not overlapping a public right of way (such as a footpath or bridleway)

How to manage the grass strip

  • Remove any subsoil compaction where required to prepare a seedbed, except on archaeological features
  • Control weeds and cut regularly in the first 12 to 24 months of establishment to encourage grasses to tiller
  • Avoid cutting when the soil is wet, to prevent compaction
  • The buffer strip should remain in place and not be re-sown for the duration of the agreement

Where there is a need to implement this option on more than 30% of the parcel, you should consider instead using option SW7 - Arable reversion to grassland with low fertiliser input to cover a larger area.

Integrated Pest Management (IPM)

This option can form part of an IPM approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases. If successful, appropriate and within proximity of cropped areas, these may limit the need for the use of Plant Protection Products and enhance wildlife and biodiversity on your holding. Read information on IPM at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) Integrated Pest Management and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).

Biodiversity

This option has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.

The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply. *[FER]: Farm Environment Record

Questions about SW3?

Ask Tom anything about this subsidy, eligibility, evidence requirements, or compatibility with other actions.