AGF1: Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land

What you must do to get paid for this action and advice on how to do it.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs and Rural Payments Agency
• Published: 21 May 2024
• Last updated: 5 August 2024 바카라 사이트� See all updates

• Land types: Arable and Grassland
• Areas of interest: Agroforestry, Air quality, Flood risk, Integrated pest management, Trees and Water quality
• Payment types: Revenue

This is an action in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) scheme: expanded offer for 2024. You must read the SFI scheme information to understand the scheme rules and how to apply.

Duration

3 years

How much you바카라 사이트檒l be paid

拢248 per hectare (ha) per year 바카라 사이트� the hectarage can include:

• the area used to grow agroforestry trees
• the areas between the trees, used for arable or horticultural crops, grassland or other eligible environmental land management scheme actions or options

Action바카라 사이트檚 aim

This action바카라 사이트檚 aim is that there바카라 사이트檚 an established very low density in-field agroforestry system that바카라 사이트檚 maintained, so there바카라 사이트檚 a combination of both:

• trees (including shrubs)
• arable or horticultural crops, grassland for forage or areas used for other eligible environmental land management scheme actions or options

The purpose of this is to:

• reduce soil erosion and flooding
• improve water and air quality
• provide shelter for crops and livestock
• contribute to carbon capture and storage

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on an eligible in-field agroforestry system on less 바카라 사이트榮ensitive바카라 사이트� agricultural land located below the moorland line that바카라 사이트檚:

• an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1 바카라 사이트楨ligible land types for SFI바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information)
• registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
• declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover

You can use the to identify 바카라 사이트榣ess sensitive land바카라 사이트� (shown as 바카라 사이트榮ensitivity: low바카라 사이트�). Less sensitive land does not include:

• sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs) or other sensitive areas which are listed in the guidance on forestry environmental impact assessments (forestry EIA)
• priority habitats such as species-rich grassland - you can find a list of priority habitats on 바카라 사이트

To be eligible for this action, the in-field agroforestry system must:

• contain established trees 바카라 사이트� these can be at any stage of maturity, including newly planted saplings if they바카라 사이트檒l be left to become mature trees
• be grown on semi-vigorous or vigorous rootstocks if they are fruit trees 바카라 사이트� these will usually produce trees at least 4 metres (m) tall
• be very low density

For the purposes of this action, 바카라 사이트榲ery low density바카라 사이트� means that across the area you enter into this action in each land parcel:

• there바카라 사이트檚 an average of 30 to 50 trees per hectare, usually planted in rows or a grid
• the trees are spaced in a way that means you do not need to apply for a forestry EIA 바카라 사이트� read the 바카라 사이트榓dvice to help you do this action바카라 사이트� for further information

Eligible land

Eligible land type	Eligible land cover	Compatible land use code
Arable land used to grow crops	Arable land	Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops
Temporary grassland	Arable land	TG01
Arable land lying fallow	Arable land	FA01
Improved permanent grassland	Permanent grassland	PG01
Horticultural permanent crops	Permanent crops	TC01

Eligibility of protected land

Protected land	Eligibility
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)	Ineligible 바카라 사이트� you must not enter any area that바카라 사이트檚 designated as an SSSI into this action
Historic and archaeological features	Ineligible 바카라 사이트� you must not enter any area with an historic or archaeological feature into this action. This only affects the area where the feature is located in a land parcel. You can apply for this action on the remaining area in the land parcel if it바카라 사이트檚 eligible.

Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in a land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action바카라 사이트檚 duration.

What to do

You must maintain the very low density in-field agroforestry system in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim. This includes:

• replacing dead trees, where necessary to make sure the density continues to be an average of at least 30 trees per hectare across the area you enter into this action in each land parcel
• protecting the trees from grazing livestock and pests, such as deer and rabbits, to prevent serious damage - you can apply for Capital Grants to help you do this
• managing weeds around the base of establishing trees
• pruning and shaping the trees once they are established

When to do it

You must do this action from its start date, throughout each year of its 3-year duration.

How to do it

It바카라 사이트檚 up to you how you do this action, as long as you:

• follow this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements 바카라 사이트� these are identified by a 바카라 사이트榤ust바카라 사이트�
• do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action바카라 사이트檚 aim

You may find it helpful to read the 바카라 사이트榓dvice to help you do this action바카라 사이트�, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you바카라 사이트檝e done to complete this action, such as:

• field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices
• photographs and other documentation

If it바카라 사이트檚 not clear that you바카라 사이트檝e 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.

Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action. Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they바카라 사이트檙e done at a different time of year to this action. For example, winter cover followed by a summer companion crop. Read 바카라 사이트榃hat to do바카라 사이트� and 바카라 사이트榃hen to do it바카라 사이트� to find out when this action must be done.

Scheme	Action or option codes
SFI 2024 actions	AHW1, AHW3, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, AHW9, AHW10, AHW11, AHW12, BFS1, BFS2, BFS3, OFA1, OFA6, OFC1, OFC3, OFC4, OFM1, OFM4, OFM5, SOH4, WBD3, WBD4, WBD5, WBD6, WBD7, WBD8, PRF1, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3, CAHL1, CAHL2, CAHL3, CAHL4, CIGL1, CIGL2, CIGL3, CIPM1, CIPM2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CLIG3, CNUM1, CNUM2, CNUM3, CSAM1, CSAM2, CSAM3, HEF8
SFI 2023 actions	AHL1, AHL2, AHL3, AHL4, IGL1, IGL2, IGL3, IPM1, IPM2, IPM3, IPM4, LIG1, LIG2, NUM1, NUM2, NUM3, SAM1, SAM2, SAM3
CS options	AB1, AB2, AB3, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, AB10, AB11, AB13, AB14, AB15, AB16, GS2, GS3, GS4, GS5, HS6, SW1, SW2, SW3, SW4, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, SW10, SW13, SW15, SW16, WD3, WT1, WT2, OP1, OP2, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR3, OR4, OT1, OT3, OT4
ES options	No ES revenue options
SFI pilot standards	No area-based SFI pilot standards

If an action or option cannot be located on the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel - Read section 6. 바카라 사이트楨ligible land in other funding schemes바카라 사이트� for more information.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:

• SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2 and WBD2
• SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
• CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
• the introductory level of the SFI pilot hedgerows standard

Advice to help you do this action

The following advice may help you to do this action, but it바카라 사이트檚 not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.

Planning your agroforestry system

If you have not already planted your agroforestry system, before you establish your trees and apply for this action you can plan:

• which planting pattern best suits the purpose of your trees and your agricultural system 바카라 사이트� for example, designing a silvoarable system to allow space for arable operations

• how you바카라 사이트檒l manage the land underneath the trees, particularly if you바카라 사이트檙e doing other SFI actions on that land

• which tree species are best to use with your crops and livestock 바카라 사이트� for example, if there will be competition for light and nutrients

• potential benefits of your agroforestry system, such as shade, shelter and forage

• potential issues, such as toxic berries or seeds

• the water requirements of your trees and any effects your trees may have on local hydrology

In future, you바카라 사이트檒l be able to apply for a capital item to help you plan your agroforestry system. More details on this will be published later in 2024.

Tree spacing: forestry EIAs

This action requires that the trees in your existing agroforestry system are spaced in a way that means you do not need to apply for a forestry EIA (under 바카라 사이트榃here you can do this action바카라 사이트�).

A forestry EIA is required if you plant trees on 0.5ha or more agricultural land in a way which could create 바카라 사이트榳oodland바카라 사이트�. The defines woodland as 바카라 사이트榣and that is predominantly covered in trees, with a canopy cover of at least 20%바카라 사이트�.

You do not need to apply for a forestry EIA if you바카라 사이트檝e planted the trees in your agroforestry system far enough apart, so the canopy cover is less than 20%. This will usually be the case if you바카라 사이트檝e planted them in either:

• a grid pattern, with the trees at least 15m apart

• rows (including alleys) that are between 24m and 45m apart, with the trees 3m apart in each row

Read the guidance on forestry EIAs for more information.

Managing your agroforestry system: agriculture EIAs

Check if you need an agriculture EIA 바카라 사이트榮creening decision바카라 사이트� from Natural England if how you바카라 사이트檒l manage your agroforestry system will:

• increase the productivity of uncultivated land or semi-natural areas

• add, remove, move or change the nature of a field boundary

• add, remove of distribute earth or other material

Read section 10.7 바카라 사이트楶ermission to change uncultivated, semi-natural or rural land바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information.

Maintaining your agroforestry system

The trees in your agroforestry system may be damaged by how you manage the land around the tree. This is because the root system of your trees will usually:

• be quite shallow, with the majority of roots in the top 60 centimetres (cm) of the soil

• spread beyond the tree바카라 사이트檚 crown

To help protect the root system, you can avoid disturbing the soil within a suitable radius from the trees (a 바카라 사이트榬oot protection area바카라 사이트�). For example, this would be a 1.5m radius from the tree for 3m wide strips of planting. Read the Woodland Trust바카라 사이트檚 guidance on for more information.

Activities which could disturb the soil around the trees include:

• ploughing

• harrowing

• poaching by grazing livestock

When you prune and shape the trees once they are established, you may want to consider doing this in a way that means:

• competition for light is managed

• you can access between the trees with machinery

• the trees바카라 사이트� yield of fruit, nuts and forage, as relevant, is optimised

• there바카라 사이트檚 a balanced tree shape and strong branches to support the fruit or nut crop

You can manage your agroforestry system for timber by early pruning and then high pruning later on. This will help you achieve a branch free clear stem of 3m to 5m from the base of the tree, which can improve the quality of timber.

For detailed guidance on maintaining your agroforestry system, read the .

How to increase biodiversity in your agroforestry system

Agroforestry can benefit integrated pest management by providing habitat for natural predators.

To increase biodiversity in your agroforestry system, you can consider planting:

• wildflower strips on the areas between the trees

• flower rich mixes in the understorey which are left uncut

• cover crops or herbal leys within the cropping alley, between the tree rows

There are several SFI actions that you can do between the trees to increase biodiversity. You can find these SFI actions under 바카라 사이트極ther actions or options you can do on the same area as this action바카라 사이트�. For example:

• CIPM2: Flower-rich grass margins, blocks or in-field strips

• CAHL1: Pollen and nectar flower mix

• CSAM3: Herbal leys

Published 21 May 2024

Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates

1. 1 August 2024

   Where you can do this action - an eligible land type is defined in section 5.1 바카라 사이트楨ligible land types for SFI바카라 사이트� in the SFI scheme information. Clarified wording on 바카라 사이트榣ess sensitive land바카라 사이트�. Eligibility of protected land - you can apply for this action on the area in a land parcel that does not contain an historic or archaeological feature. What to do - added link to Capital Grants guidance. Other actions or options you can do on the same area - HEF8 added to SFI 2024 actions. Published voluntary advice to help you do this action, but it's not part of this action바카라 사이트檚 requirements.

2. 21 May 2024

   First published.