AHW3 — Beetle banks

This action’s aim is that there’s an in-field raised grassy bank, with tussocky grass allowed to develop. The purpose of this is to: - provide nesting and foraging habitats for ground-nesting birds, small mammals and insects - help slow down or stop soil erosion - support an integrated pest management approach if located close to cropped areas

You can do this action on agricultural land located below the moorland line that’s: - an eligible land type (as defined in section 5.1.1 ‘Eligible land types’ in the SFI26 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 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

You must establish an in-field beetle bank by: - creating a raised earth ridge - sowing a mixture of fine-leaved grasses, such as red fescue, together with some tussock forming varieties like tall fescue, timothy and cocksfoot You can leave gaps of up to around 40m at each end of the beetle bank to allow machinery access. Once the grassy mix on the beetle bank is established, you must maintain it in a way that can reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim. You must not apply: - any fertilisers, manures or lime - apply pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat to control injurious weeds , invasive non-native species , nettles or bracken You can maintain an existing beetle bank to get paid for this action if it: - meets this action’s requirements - is not already being paid for under another environmental land management scheme option, such as Countryside Stewardship option AB3 (beetle banks)

You must: - establish the beetle bank within 12 months of this action’s start date - maintain the beetle bank throughout each subsequent year of this action’s duration

It’s up to you how you do this action, as long as you: - follow this action’s requirements – these are identified by a ‘must’ - do the action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve this action’s aim 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.

You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as: - field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices - photographs or other documentation If it’s not clear that you’ve 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.