CAGF4: Manage very low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-10)

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

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) before you apply.

Duration

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£248 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to manage land in an agroforestry system at an agreed density and spacing of trees on more environmentally sensitive land.

Agroforestry is tree planting that’s deliberately combined with agriculture on the same piece of land.

The purpose is to:
- reduce soil erosion
- improve water and air quality on agricultural land
- provide shelter for livestock
- reduce flooding
- contribute to net zero targets
Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible ‘very low’ density in-field agroforestry that contains established trees at any stage of maturity, including newly planted saplings with approval from a Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

You can only do this action if you have an agroforestry plan agreed by the Forestry Commission. You must also complete all agroforestry tree planting agreed in your plan before you can do this action.

For the purpose of this action, very low density means:
- there’s an average of 30 to 50 trees per hectare across the area you enter into this action in each land parcel
- the trees are usually planted in rows or a grid, spacing can be determined with your Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser as you may need to apply for a forestry environmental impact assessment (EIA) – read the guidance on forestry EIAs (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/environmental-impact-assessments-for-woodland) for more information
- Ramsar sites
To be eligible for this action, the in-field agroforestry system must:
- contain established trees at any stage of maturity, including newly planted saplings if they’ll be left to become mature trees – fruit trees must be grown on semi-vigorous or vigorous rootstocks, which usually produce trees at least 4 metres tall
- be very low density
You can use this action on sites that are not suitable for the equivalent SFI action AGF1: Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/agf1-maintain-very-low-density-in-field-agroforestry-on-less-sensitive-land). The standard management activities for AGF1 may not be suitable because:
- the land is classed as more ‘sensitive’ – these are identified as white areas on the ‘Land with low sensitivity to agroforestry’ (https://data-forestry.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/aa20163c87814a3a8f5c19075244927a_0/about) map
- the site needs additional actions, supplements or capital items which are only available in Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier
This applies to existing SFI expanded offer for 2024 agreement holders of action AGF1. The SFI 2024 expanded offer is closed for new applications.

You cannot do this agroforestry action on protected sites, including:
- sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs)
- Special Areas of Conservation (SACs)
- Special Protection Areas (SPAs)
You also cannot do this action where it would damage priority habitats, protected species or features of archaeological, historic or landscape value, unless you have approval from Natural England or Forestry Commission.

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land-use-codes-rural-payments) which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area you can enter into this action

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

Rotational or static action

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

What to do

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:
- have or be establishing trees at the agreed density and spacing pattern
- replace dead trees where necessary to maintain the average of at least the minimum number of trees for the agreed density banding
- protect trees from damage from grazing livestock and pests, such as deer and rabbits
- prune and shape the trees once they become established
- manage weeds around the base of establishing trees
The advice you’re given from Natural England or Forestry Commission is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to establish a buffer if you’re planting trees next to a protected site (for example, site of special scientific interest).

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- field operations at the parcel level
- associated invoices
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 they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- CSHT actions: CGS4, CGS25, CGS26, CWT3, CHRW4
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- an agroforestry plan agreed with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer
- Scheduled Monument Consent (https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/consents/smc/) from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
You may need to:
- get a forestry environmental impact assessment (EIA) from the Forestry Commission – read the guidance on forestry EIAs (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/environmental-impact-assessments-for-woodland) for more information
- get advice from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- apply for a felling licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-felling-licence-when-you-need-to-apply) from the Forestry Commission to carry out some activities in this action
- a screening decision under the agricultural EIA (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changing-uncultivated-semi-natural-and-rural-land-when-you-need-permission/check-if-you-need-a-screening-decision) Regulations from Natural England
- get a wildlife licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wildlife-licences) from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders#capital-grants-plans).

You can also apply for capital items (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders) to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

‘Very low density’ means there’s an average of 30 to 50 trees per hectare. Plant trees evenly across the area you enter into this action.

Planning your agroforestry system

Before you plant in-field agroforestry trees, check the sensitivity of the land you plan to plant on using the SFI Agroforestry data layer (https://data-forestry.opendata.arcgis.com/datasets/aa20163c87814a3a8f5c19075244927a_0/about). It identifies low sensitivity to agroforestry planting. Anything outside this layer is considered as more sensitive.

You’ll need an approved agroforestry plan before you apply for this action.

It can help you plan:
- what types of trees to plant and where
- the opportunities and constraints on your holding
- which planting pattern best suits the purpose of your trees and your agricultural system – for example, designing a silvoarable system to allow space for arable operations
- how you’ll manage the land underneath the trees, particularly if you’re doing other actions on that land
- which tree species are best to use with your crops and livestock – for example, if there’ll 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
- what treeless buffer you may need if you want to plant trees next to a protected site
Tree spacing

You can plant your trees between 5m and 45m across the area under agreement or create rows between 10m and 45m apart. You can plant trees within these rows at least 3m apart. Your exact density and spacing pattern will be agreed in your plan.

Agriculture EIAs and Forestry EIAs

Your agroforestry plan will identify if you need a ‘screening decision’ for an Agriculture EIA (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/environmental-impact-assessments-for-woodland#sensitive-areas) from Natural England or a Forestry EIA from the Forestry Commission. Read the guidance on forestry EIAs (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/environmental-impact-assessments-for-woodland) for more information.

Maintaining your agroforestry system

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 tree’s crown
To help protect the root system, avoid disturbing the soil within a suitable radius from the trees (a ‘root protection area’). For example, this would be a 1.5m radius from the tree for 3m wide strips of planting. Read the Woodland Trust’s guidance on root protection areas (https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2021/04/root-protection-areas/) for more information.

Activities which could disturb the soil within the root protection area include:
- ploughing
- harrowing
- poaching by grazing livestock
When you prune and shape the trees once they’re 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 trees’ yield of fruit, nuts and forage (as relevant) is optimised
- there’s 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.

Read guidance on maintaining your agroforestry system (https://www.soilassociation.org/farmers-growers/low-input-farming-advice/agroforestry-on-your-farm/download-the-agroforestry-handbook/).

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, consider planting:
- wildflower strips on the areas between the trees
- flower rich mixes in the understorey which are left uncut