Defra

EB1 and EB2 hedgerow management

Bloody nosed beetle on meadowsweet

For this option you must do the following:

• Hedges should be maintained to a height which is customary to the local landscape, but no less than 1.5 m. A mixture of heights and widths will provide the best range of habitat. (You may use this option to manage hedges that are less than 1.5 m high at the start of the agreement, but in this case the hedge must be allowed to grow up to the required height.)
• Do not cultivate or apply fertilisers, manures or pesticides to land within 2 m of the centre of the hedgerow.
• Hedgebanks should be maintained in a style that is customary to the area.
• Cut each hedge no more than once every two calendar years. Avoid cutting all hedges in the same year.
• Do not cut during the bird-breeding season (1 March to 31 July).
• Hedgelaying/coppicing should be completed before 1 March. However, in exceptional circumstances work may continue up to 1 April, provided that you conduct a survey to ensure there are no nesting birds present.
• Where already present, you may leave saplings to grow into hedgerow trees at intervals, for example: four trees randomly spaced over 200 m, where this fits in with the local landscape character.

EB1: Hedgerow management on both sides of the hedge

EB1, 22 points per 100 m, where management is carried out on both sides of the hedge

EB2, 11 points per 100 m, where management is carried out on one side of the hedge

EB3 Enhanced hedgerow management

EB3 management provides the broadest range of hedgerow habitat

This option is only available where you have control of the management of both sides of the hedge. In addition to the conditions for EB1 and EB2 you must:

• Maintain hedges to a height which is customary to the local landscape, but no less than 2 m. A mixture of heights and widths will provide the best range of habitat. You may use this option to manage hedges that are less than 2 m high at the start of the agreement, but in this case the hedge must be allowed to grow up to the required height.
• Cut no more than one third of your hedges in each calendar year, and do not cut them between 28 February and 1 September.
• Cut each hedge/hedgebank no more than once every three calendar years. Where necessary for public safety, the side of the hedge next to a road or enclosed public path may be trimmed more frequently.

EB3, 42 points per 100 m

EB4/EB5 Stone-faced hedgebank management on one side/both sides

Where there is hedge growth on top of the bank, you may also apply for options EB1, EB2 or EB3. The specified height of the hedge is measured from the top of the bank.

For this option you must do the following:

• Protect stone-faced banks from deterioration i.e. repair gaps where these occur during the course of the agreement.
• Prevent damage to stone-faced gateways and banks by machinery or stock climbing. Where stock have damaged such features, prevent further damage taking place by making them stock-proof.
• Do not remove any in situ stone from banks.
• All repair and maintenance work must be carried out in the traditional materials used in the original hedgebank construction, following the style characteristic to the local landscape.
• Do not cast up ditch dredging or spoil over stone-faced banks.

EB4, Stone-faced hedgebank management on both sides: 16 points per 100 m

EB5, Stone-faced hedgebank management on one side: 8 points per 100 m

EB6 Ditch management

EB6 Leaving one ditch bank uncut provides essential cover for species such as water vole

The aim of this option is to establish a varied bankside and aquatic vegetation and to provide undisturbed wildlife habitat adjacent to the ditch. Eligible ditches must regularly contain standing or flowing water. You must be responsible for the management of both sides of the ditch. Ditches managed by third parties such as Internal Drainage Boards are not eligible. Streams that are unmanaged or occasionally managed natural features are not eligible. Moorland grips are not eligible.

For this option you must do the following:

• You must not cultivate or apply fertilisers, manures or pesticides to land within 2 m of the centre of the ditch. This rule also applies to all land within 1 m of the top of the ditch banks.
• You may only cut the vegetation on your ditch banks in the period between 15 September and 28 February. In each such period you may only cut the vegetation on up to half your length of ditch bank.
• Where you are cutting ditch banks, cut them in rotation so that a ditch bank is not cut more than once in two years.
• Where necessary to prevent flooding, the vegetation in the bottom of the ditch may be cut every year between 15 September and 28 February.
• You must clean your ditches no more than once during your agreement. You must do so only in the period between 15 September and 31 January, and in any such period you must clean only up to half your length of ditches.
• Only use mechanical means (including hand tools) to clean your ditches or trim your bank.
• Any dredging or spoil must be levelled along the bank and the bankside vegetation re-established by natural regeneration.
• Do not move or re-profile the ditch.

EB6, 24 points per 100 m

EB7 Half ditch management

For this option you must do the following:

This option is available for ditches as described above for option EB6 where the ditch regularly contains standing or flowing water. You must have control over the management of one side of the ditch. The aim is to establish diverse bankside vegetation.

• You may only cut the vegetation on your ditch banks in the period between 15 September and 28 February. In each such period you may only cut the vegetation on up to half your length of ditch bank.
• You must not cultivate or apply fertilisers, manures or pesticides to land within 2 m of the centre of the ditch. This rule also applies to all land within 1 m of the top of your ditch bank.
• Use only mechanical means (including hand tools) to trim your bank.
• Any dredging or spoil must be levelled along the bank and bankside vegetation established by natural regeneration.

EB7, 8 points per 100 m

EB8/9/10 Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating option EB1/EB2/EB3)

This option is available for hedges with a ditch immediately alongside, where a ditch contains standing or flowing water. You must have control over the management of adjacent land. The aim is to establish a diverse hedgerow, bankside and aquatic vegetation.

You must apply for these options (EB8/9/10) where you have a hedge alongside a ditch and wish to manage both under ELS (i.e. you cannot combine individual hedge or ditch options).

Follow the conditions for:

EB1, EB2 or EB3 depending on whether you are managing one side of your hedge, or both sides; and EB6 (Ditch management).

In addition you must do the following:

• On the non-hedge side of the ditch you must not cultivate or apply fertiliser, manures or pesticides to land within 2 m of the centre of the ditch. This rule also applies to all land within 1 m of the top of the ditch bank.
• If you are managing both sides of the hedge, you must leave uncultivated land extending 2 m from the centre of the hedge on the non-ditch side of the hedge. You must not apply fertilisers, manures or pesticides to this land.

EB10: Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB3 hedge management)

EB8, Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB1 hedge management): 38 points per 100 m

EB9, Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB2 hedge management): 26 points per 100 m

EB10, Combined hedge and ditch management (incorporating EB3 hedge management): 56 points per 100 m

EB11 Stone wall protection and maintenance

Only walls over which you have management control can be included under this option. Stone walls of all types are important for stock management and as landscape and historic features. They are also potentially important habitats for lichens, mosses and ferns, invertebrates, reptiles, birds and small mammals.

This option can only apply to complete walls or complete sections of walls (i.e. walls still at their original height and with their coping stones in place).

For this option you must do the following:

• Protect stone walls from deterioration, i.e. regularly repair gaps where these occur during the course of your agreement.
• All repair and maintenance work must be carried out in the traditional materials used in the original wall construction, following the style characteristic to the local landscape.
• Do not remove any in situ stone from walls.

EB11, 15 points per 100 m