What the action involves
This action’s aim is to restore and keep coastal sand dune priority habitat in a healthy and dynamic condition. You can do this by allowing natural processes to function.
The purpose of this is to:
- allow natural movement of sand to provide habitat and benefit locally important species
- improve movement of sand to adjacent coasts
- maintain diverse sand dune flora, naturally creating opportunities for specialist sand dune flora and fauna to establish
- increase resilience of the habitat and wider coastal system to the impacts of climate change
What you must do
Your Natural England adviser 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:
- allow coastal and natural hydrological processes to function freely without obstruction, unless agreed with your Natural England adviser
- keep some areas of bare sand
- manage vegetation including scrub to maintain a varied landscape by grazing, mowing or cutting
- manage injurious weeds and invasive non-native species by methods agreed with your Natural England adviser
- only allow vehicle access on agreed routes
- only create new access tracks or pathways if agreed with your Natural England adviser
- remove and dispose of inorganic waste off site
- protect archaeological or historic features from damage
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to create and manage notches or other features in the dunes.
You must not:
- prevent natural processes, such as sand deposits forming during storms
- modify or remove any sea defences or water inlet or outlet systems
- bring in new sand to the site
- plough, cultivate, reseed, roll or harrow
- apply fertilisers, organic manures or waste materials
- use supplementary feed for grazing livestock
- apply pesticides – you may be able to use herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native plant species, nettles or other plants if this has been agreed with your Natural England adviser
- create bare ground on, or disturb, historic or archaeological features
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.
Where you can do it
You can do this action on eligible coastal sand dunes located below the moorland line, including coastal sand dunes that are priority habitats or sites of special scientific interest (SSSIs).
You can only do this action if you have an implementation plan or feasibility study agreed with Natural England.
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 which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area
Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration, but there’s some flexibility due to natural coastal changes.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
- to obtain any necessary consents from the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) or Internal Drainage Board (IDB) before starting any work
You may need to:
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- apply for a felling licence from the Forestry Commission to carry out some activities in this action
- get a wildlife licence 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 that support it
If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding.
You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.
