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3 years Ìý

How muchÌýyou’llÌýbe paidÌý

£4 per 100 metres (m) for both sides Ìý

Action’s aimÌý

This action’s aim is that there are ditches with:  Ìý

• varied bankside and aquatic vegetation  Ìý

• undisturbed wildlife habitat Ìý

The purpose of this is to: Ìý

• maintainÌývegetationÌýthat’sÌýtypical of wet ditches Ìý

• provide habitats for wildlife Ìý

Where you can do this actionÌý

An eligible ditch for this action must: Ìý

• form part of the boundary of a land parcelÌýthat’sÌýlocatedÌýbelow the moorland line Ìý

• beÌýa man-made,ÌýlongÌýand narrow linear channelÌýthat’sÌýcut into the ground for the purpose of draining the land or managing water levels Ìý

• have vegetated banks Ìý

• regularlyÌýcontainÌýstanding or flowing water Ìý

The following features are not eligible for this action: Ìý

• ditchesÌýlocatedÌýin a severely disadvantaged area (SDA) below the moorland line Ìý

• culverts or underground drains Ìý

• natural watercourses, such as streams Ìý

• non-linear water features, such as ponds,ÌýlakesÌýor reservoirs Ìý

• grips,ÌýguttersÌýand foot drains   Ìý

Check you have management control of your ditchesÌý

You must have management control of both sides of the entire length of the eligible ditch youÌýenter intoÌýthis action for its 3-year duration.Ìý

If you only have management control of one side of the ditch, you must not enter it into this action.Ìý

You will have management control of both sides of a ditch that borders a neighbour’s land if you meet both of the following conditions: Ìý

• you have a legal right or obligation to manage the ditch Ìý

• you can meet this action’s requirements Ìý

You cannot do this action on ditches managed by third parties, such as .Ìý

Check the length youÌýenter intoÌýthis actionÌý

It’sÌýyour responsibility to check that the length (in metres) you enter in your SFI ²¹±è±è±ô¾±³¦²¹³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô:Ìý

• is eligible for this actionÌý

• corresponds withÌýwhat’sÌýon the ground for the relevant land parcelÌý

If you enter a length which is ineligible or exceedsÌýwhat’sÌýon the ground, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) will have to remove it from your SFI26 agreement. You may also have to repay monies already received.Ìý

Eligibility of protected landÌý

Sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs): Ineligible – you must not enter any areaÌýthat’sÌýdesignatedÌýas an SSSI into this action.Ìý

Historic and archaeological features: Eligible – you must get an SFI HEFER before you do this action (read sectionÌý5.3 ‘Land with historic or archaeological features’Ìýin the SFI26 scheme information to find out how to do this).Ìý

Rotational or static actionÌý

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration. Ìý

What to doÌý

You must manage the ditch in a way that canÌýreasonably beÌýexpected to achieve this action’s aim, including: Ìý

• cutting vegetation at the top of the ditch bank in rotation, so you only cut up to half the length of the ditch bank in any year of this action’s 3-year duration Ìý

• carrying out in-channel management on any section of the ditch no more than once during this action’s 3-year duration – this includes cleaning out silt or vegetation and cutting vegetation in the ditch channel Ìý

To minimise disturbance to wildlife, you must only manage the ditch during the autumn,ÌýwinterÌýand early spring (usually September to late March).Ìý

You must not re-profile or increase the width or depth of the ditch. Ìý

When to do itÌý

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

If this action’s start date meansÌýit’sÌýtoo late for you to do this action, you must start doing it within 12 months of the action’s start date. Ìý

How to do itÌý

It’sÌýup to you how you do this action, as long as you:  Ìý

• follow this action’s requirements – these areÌýidentifiedÌýby a ‘must’ Ìý

• do the action in a way that couldÌýreasonably beÌýexpected to achieve this action’s aim   Ìý

You may find it helpful to read the ‘advice to help you do this action’, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.Ìý

Evidence to keepÌý

Keep evidence to show whatÌýyou’veÌýdone to complete this action, such as:  Ìý

• ditch management operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices  Ìý

• photographs and other documentation Ìý

IfÌýit’sÌýnot clear thatÌýyou’veÌýdone this action in a way that couldÌýreasonably beÌýexpected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it. Ìý

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

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.Ìý

Scheme	Action orÌýoptionÌýcodes
SFI 2026 actionsÌý	Ìý´¡±ô±ô SFI 2026 actions except BND1	Ìý
SFI 2024 actions	All SFI 2024 actions except BND1 and WBD2	Ìý
SFI 2023 actions	All SFI 2023 actions	Ìý
CSHT actions from 2025Ìý	Ìý´¡±ô±ô CSHT actions	Ìý
CS options	All CS management options including BE3 (management of hedgerows)	Ìý
ES options	All ES revenue options except boundary options	Ìý

If an action orÌýoptionÌýcannot beÌýlocatedÌýon the same area, you may be able to do it on a different area in the same land parcel. Read sectionÌý5.6 ‘Land that’s already in other funding schemes or grants’Ìýin the SFI26 scheme information for more details.

Advice to help you do this action

The following advice may help you to do this action, but it’s not part of this action’s requirements.

Managing ditches

To help you achieve this action’s aim, you can:

• cut vegetation at the top of the ditch bank (where needed) with cutters set high, to leave vegetation that’s around 10 centimetres (cm) to 15cm high
• carry out bankside cutting (where needed) during late summer or early autumn
• carry out in-channel management using appropriate machinery and without affecting the banks
• work from one bank only, leaving short stretches (for example, around 10m to 20m) undisturbed to provide a refuge for wildlife
• progress work upstream to allow dislodged pieces of plant and invertebrates to float downstream to live in the ditch again
• leave around at least one third of the overall ditch area undisturbed each year – managing your ditches less frequently will provide undisturbed habitat for wildlife (including the water vole)

Make sure you follow theÌýfarming rules for water. These require you to take steps to stop manure, fertiliser or soil getting into waterbodies and watercourses. Maintaining good water quality in your ditches will help to protect insects or plants that live in them.

Before you carry out work on your ditches, check if you need to get consents or permissions. ReadÌýsection 10 ‘Get any regulatory consents before you do your SFI ²¹³¦³Ù¾±´Ç²Ô²õ’ in the SFI26 scheme rules and guidance.

You may find it helpful to readÌý.

Cutting vegetation

To cut vegetation at the top of the ditch bank in rotation, you can either:

• cut one side of the ditch and leaving the other side uncut as a wildlife corridor
• leave alternate sections uncut

You can control weeds on the ditch banks by cutting or hand pulling. If you need to use herbicides:

• follow the label recommendations
• get permission from the Environment AgencyÌýbefore you use herbicides to control weeds and unwanted vegetation in or close to a river or watercourse

Carrying out in-channel management

Carrying out in-channel management of your ditches on a rotation will help to provide a range of different conditions to benefit many species. For example:

• insects, that need shallow water, muddy areas and flower-rich bankside vegetation
• birds like warblers, that need tall vegetation and reeds

If you carry out in-channel management on the ditch, you can deposit the silt and vegetation (known as ‘spoil’) on the field adjacent to the ditch. However, under a D1 waste exemption, you can only deposit up to 50 cubic metres of dredging spoil on each metre length of land during any 12-month period. Read the guidance on D1 waste exemption: depositing waste from dredging inland waters for more information.

When you deposit the spoil, try to avoid:

• spreading it on areas of grassland that are rich in wildflowers
• using it to infill low lying areas
• spreading it on the ditch’s bank face
• spreading it on land with historic or archaeological features
• creating spoil banks in wet grassland and wetland areas, as they stop water movement on and off the field

Controlling invasive, non-native species

Invasive, non-native species (such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed) can shade out or out-complete native plants in your ditch.

You may need to:

• monitor and control invasive, non-native plant species to stop them spreading
• get advice if your ditch contains invasive water plants like crassula (New Zealand pygmyweed) or floating pennywort
• dispose of ditch spoil that contains invasive, non-native species safely, instead of spreading it on the adjacent field