{
  "url": "https://openlegislation.uk/farming-with-nature-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025/schedule-1/paragraph-4",
  "json_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/farming-with-nature-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025/schedule-1/paragraph-4.json",
  "legislation": "nisr/2025/101",
  "legislation_title": "The Farming with Nature Scheme Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2025",
  "legislation_url": "https://openlegislation.uk/farming-with-nature-scheme-regulations-northern-ireland-2025",
  "path": "schedule/1/paragraph/4",
  "kind": "paragraph",
  "number": "4",
  "heading": "Eligible scheme actions; farmland tree planting",
  "text": "(1) An applicant planting trees must–\n(a) not plant trees–\n(i) on land within 5 metres of a designated watercourse;\n(ii) on flood defence areas;\n(iii) on riparian buffer strips;\n(iv) within hedgerows; or\n(v) on permanent grassland sensitive areas;\n(b) plant three or more native tree species listed in Schedule 5;\n(c) ensure a minimum of 0.05 hectares are planted at 2.5 metre spacing in the same plot at a planting rate of 1,600 trees per hectare;\n(d) support and protect each newly planted tree from damage by grazing livestock or wildlife on all sides;\n(e) exclude livestock from the area in which the new trees are planted;\n(f) manage and maintain trees planted including the removal of grass or weeds negatively impacting tree growth;\n(g) ensure that access to watercourses for maintenance purposes is unobstructed;\n(h) retain evidence, as the Department may specify, of the quantity and native tree species used;\n(i) complete all work related to this action by 28th February 2027;\n(j) retain planted trees for a minimum period of 20 years beginning with 28th February 2027; and\n(k) ensure if erecting protective fencing it meets the eligibility criteria in Schedule 2.",
  "extent": "N.I.",
  "status": null,
  "version": "current",
  "annotations": [
    {
      "type": "F",
      "label": "F1",
      "text": "Sch. 1 para. 4 substituted (25.6.2026) by The Farming with Nature Scheme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2026 (S.R. 2026/105), regs. 1(1), 2(7)(c)"
    }
  ],
  "outstanding_effects": [],
  "provenance": {
    "source": "legislation.gov.uk",
    "source_url": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nisr/2025/101/schedule/1/paragraph/4",
    "retrieved_at": "2026-10-29T00:25:53.048342+00:00"
  },
  "licence": "Open Government Licence v3.0",
  "licence_url": "https://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/",
  "attribution": "Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives."
}