moving ditches

LivInt20

I' thinking about moving a few ditches around the fields.

What is the best way to get rid of them. To bury them or draw them to a swampy part of the field and level them out.

How much should it cost for a man with a machine for 1 or 2 days.

5live

I may be wrong on this but hedges are protected under cross compliance(?) and you need to plant an equal amount of hedging to replace what you are digging up.

Or is that just a proposal like needing planning permission to knock a hedge?

blue5000

what do you mean by moving them? I suspect this could be a troll thread, surely every farmer knows that ditches can't be removed because of wildlife habitat?

Birdnuts

5live wrote: »

I may be wrong on this but hedges are protected under cross compliance(?) and you need to plant an equal amount of hedging to replace what you are digging up.

?

That would be my understanding too - and pretty severe penalties to follow if things go wrong, plus the time of year is totally inappropriate for obvious reasons!!

Tora Bora

I would have thought, you can actually carry out ditch removal, without penalties provided you do it at the right time if the year, and you are NOT in REPS or any other environmental scheme. Of course within reason. Not flattening in sight. Am I incorrect?

sh1tstirrer

First i heard that ditches were protected. They are protected in reps. Nothing in cross compliance to stop anyone leveling a ditch.

Bizzum

Maybe OP could define what he means by a ditch?

Around me it would typically be a minor watercourse. Hedging may or may not be involved. However interference with a watercourse may have implications too.

Box09

No you are not allowed to remove a hedgerow or ditch under cross compliance as 5live said. You will be penalised unless you replace the equivalent length.

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

First i heard that ditches were protected. They are protected in reps. Nothing in cross compliance to stop anyone leveling a ditch.

sh1tstirrer

Box09 wrote: »

No you are not allowed to remove a hedgerow or ditch under cross compliance as 5live said. You will be penalised unless you replace the equivalent length.

So it is the same as being in reps without getting the payment. Could you post a link where it states that you cannot remove ditches?

Box09

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/farmingschemesandpayments/crosscompliance/landscapefeatures/Hedges%20and%20drains%2012%2008%2009.pdf

sh1tstirrer wrote: »

So it is the same as being in reps without getting the payment. Could you post a link where it states that you cannot remove ditches?

Atilathehun

Box09 wrote: »

http://www.agriculture.gov.ie/media/migration/farmingschemesandpayments/crosscompliance/landscapefeatures/Hedges%20and%20drains%2012%2008%2009.pdf

Excerpt from that link, answering the OP original question, abou "moving" a ditch. So it's not over restrictive,

Q Do I now need approval to move a hedge?

A No, provided that an equivalent replacement hedge has been planted prior to
removal.

Q Can I remove a hedgerow that is no longer stock proof?

A Yes provided there is good reason to do so and a new hedgerow of equal length is
planted in advance on the same holding.
Q Can I remove a section of hedge and replace it elsewhere on the farm in order to
improve the efficiency of machinery use?

A Yes

ryanp3

what is the story with moving/burying walls? I presume the same rules don't apply as ditches?

bob charles

A little off topic but yesterday I found that one of my landlords has sawn down over a dozen big ash trees on the side of the land without ever mentioning it to me. This land is included in my SPS, Should I notify the dept of the goings on or what as I presume I would be considered to be break cross compliance regs. I couldnt do anything about it, lovely trees and all