BN6: Hedgerow coppicing

How much you’llwill be paid paid

£5.33 per metre (m). The payment rate is for the total length of boundary hedgerowunder beingthe coppiced,option not(not for each side of the boundary.boundary).

HowWhere thisto itemuse benefitsthis the environmentitem

CoppicingAvailable lengths of hedgerow will rejuvenate with new growth to form a continuous hedgerow boundary.

This will:

• provide new habitat and food sources for bees,Countryside pollinatorsStewardship andMid birds
• helpTier, captureHigher carbon

ThisTier item can help you protect, recover and improveCapital biodiversity on your land.Grants

Where you can use this item 

YouOnly canon use this item where you have management control of both sides of the hedgerow with planted boundary lines of shrubs whichthat are:

• atover least 20m long
• less than 5m wide between major woody stems at the base
• madecomposed up of at least 80% native shrubs
• can only be used when the applicant has “management control” of both sides of the boundary.

WhatHow youthis mustitem dowill tobenefit usethe this itemenvironment

YouIf must:successful there will be lengths of hedgerow rejuvenated with new growth to form a continuous hedge.

Requirements

• carry out work whenbetween the30 hedgeSeptember isand dormant31 (betweenMarch 30when Septemberthe andhedge 31is March)still dormant
• remove allold fencing and wire that could get tangled in hedge plants to be laid
• removecut and pull out bramble, clematis andor other scrambling plants
• cut out all elder plants and prevent re-growth of stumps
• encourage vigorous re-growth from the base of the hedgerowplant by cutting the stems down to ground level (less than 10 centimetres).10cm)
• angle cuts so that water can easily run off
• keep all existing hedgerow trees
• cuttings can be placed over newly coppiced stools to prevent browsing by livestock or wild animalsanimals, browsingor theto coppicedleave stoolsdead wood for wildlife; however, they must not prevent new growth
• remove all unused cut materialbranches from the immediate site whenafter youcompletion haveof finishedthe coppicingwork
• control weeds during the hedgerowfirst growing season after laying
• prevent livestock and grazing animals from damaging the hedge by setting fencing at least 1.2m from the centre of the hedgehedge, oror, if there is a bank, as close to the base of the bank as possible (if there’s a bank)
• trim the hedge for 3 years after coppicing, allowing the hedge to become taller and wider at each cut

YouDo must not:

• obstruct or block entryaccess points to open access land
• disturb breeding birds

EvidenceKeeping you must keep records

YouAgreement mustholders keep:

• awill mapneed showingto thekeep location of existing hedgerow trees in each length of hedgerow and provide with your application – this can be your Farm Environment Record
• photographs of the completedfollowing workrecords and providesupply them with your claim

You must also keep and provide on request:

• allany consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoicesinvoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• the date, location and method of any weed control carried outundertaken
• the datedates of preparation works and coppicing
• the dates of post-coppicing trimming
• a photograph of the each length of hedge entered into the item

ReadPlease see the record keeping and siteinspection visit requirements as set out in the Agreementrelevant holder’sMid guide:Tier, Higher Tier or Capital Grants,Grants Higherguidance Tierfor capitalmore grantsdetail. andYou Protectioncan find the latest guidance at Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and Infrastructureimprove grantsthe forland moreyou information.manage.

Other

Agreement items,holders supplementswill andneed actionsto youkeep canthe usefollowing records and supply them with thisthe item

claim:

• photographs of the completed work

YouApplicants canwill usehave thisto itemsend withthe BN4:following Earthwith banktheir restorationapplication:

Supplements

• a map showing the location of existing hedgerow trees in each length of hedge (this can be the FER)

Related Mid Tier and Capital Grants options

This item can be used on the same length as thesethe supplements:following supplement:

• BN8:BN8 - Hedgerow supplement - casting up

• BN9:BN9 - Hedgerow supplement - substantial pre-work

Sustainable

Advice Farmingand Incentivesuggestions actions

Youfor canhow useto carry out this item

The withfollowing thesesection actions:

CHRW1:gives Assessadvice andon recordcarrying hedgerowout condition

CHRW2:the Manageitem hedgerows

CHRW3:successfully Maintainbut ordoes establishnot hedgerowform trees

Advicepart toof helpthe yourequirements usefor this item

item.

The

Pick followingthe adviceright mayhedge

Use helpthe youhedgerow tomanagement usecycle thisto item,help butdecide youwhat domanagement notis haveneeded.

Choose toa followhedge itwhich:

• is togappy getand paid.has It’stoo notfew partstems ofto thislay
• has item’sstems requirements.   

  Choosingtoo thelarge rightto hedgerow

  Understandlay the(more requirementsthan of15cm thediameter)

• is Hedgerowtoo Regulationsshort 2024 to helplay you(less decidethan what2.5m management is needed.
  tall)

YouMost canwoody species coppice mostwell, woodystimulating speciesdense successfullygrowth except:from the cut stems, apart from:

• holly
• mature beech
• mature hawthorn which is showing signs of rot

HowHedge to coppice a hedgerow successfullycoppicing

To coppiceundertake ahedge hedgerowcoppicing successfully:

• keep any existing trees and leave the occasional ‘standard’ hawthorn or other species ifwhen this fits in with the local landscape character
• keep deadwood where possible
• plant up gaps at the same time as coppicing to improve the continuity of the hedgerowhedge boundary- – plant native species that already occur in hedgerows in the local area
• protect the newly coppiced hedgerowhedge from damage by grazing animals –- yourabbit fencing may needbe rabbitneeded fencing if local populations are high.high

YouFencing can cover the coppiced hedgerow with cuttings but make sure they do not stop new growth 

You may only need to be temporary fencingand in place untilfor theas hedgerowlong hasas grownit enoughtakes tothe formhedge ato barrier.grow sufficiently.

ControllingHedge weedsmanagement

YouControl should control competitive weeds (including brambles, nettles and grasses) during the first growing season. ThisThese willweeds reduce the weedsre-growth competingrate with:

of the coppiced stem-establishmentstems andby regrowth

competing for soil moisture, nutrients and lightlight.

YouEncourage can encourage dense bushy growth of the newly coppiced hedgerowhedge by:

• trimming lightly for 3 years
• never cutting back to the same pointpoint, and instead allowing the hedgerowhedge to gradually increase in height and width by several centimetres at each cutcut.

AfterIn 3following years,years youthe hedge can leaveeither thebe hedgerowleft to grow unchecked until it needsrequires managingcoppicing againor by laying, coppicing or be managed by trimming.

Biodiversity

This item 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, Higher Tier and Capital Grants including how to apply.