Cross Compliance And Field Boundary Removal

Under Cross-Compliance rules, field boundaries must be retained unless prior written permission has been obtained from DARD.

The Northern Ireland farmed landscape is characterised by field boundaries. These include hedgerows, hedgerow trees, dry stone walls, ditches (sheughs) and earth banks, all of which provide important habitats for a variety of flora and fauna. In 2000, the Northern Ireland Countryside Survey estimated that we have approximately a quarter of a million kilometres of field boundaries, hedges being the main type. The same survey indicated that there was a four percent loss of hedgerows and an eight percent decline in dry stone walls between 1991 and 1998.

DARD assesses all applications for field boundary removal and will apply field boundary assessment criteria. These include, among others, consideration of the area of the field and the quality of the field boundary. Following this assessment, DARD may or may not grant a derogation for field boundary removal.

For further information on any aspect of Cross-Compliance or field boundaries, contact Countryside Management Branch staff at your local DARD office.