What the action involves
The aim of this supplemental action is to reduce the cover of rush on land where there’s a heavy infestation.
The purpose of this is to:
- help prevent the loss of species-rich wet grasslands
- provide suitable habitats for wildfowl and wading birds
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 supplemental action, you must:
- reduce the cover of dense rush growth to less than 30% or to the levels stated in the base action and agreed with your Natural England adviser
- manage dense rush by cutting and grazing so that it’s predominantly short by autumn (as agreed with a Natural England adviser)
- keep bare ground to a minimum, to reduce the risk of new rushes becoming established
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to spot treat or weed wipe areas of dense rush.
You must not cut or weed-wipe rushes if ground nesting birds are present (typically between March and July).
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:
- receipted invoices
- consents or permissions connected with the work
- field operations at the parcel level
- records of grazing activity
- photographs of the management undertaken
Where you can do it
You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land with any of the following Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier base actions:
- CGS26: Manage grassland with very low inputs
- CGS22: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland
- CGS20: Manage wet grassland for breeding waders
- CGS19: Manage wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
- CGS21: Manage grassland for target habitats, species or features
- CUP2: Manage rough grazing for birds
- CWD22: Manage wood pasture
- CWD21: Restore wood pasture and parkland
- CWD20: Create wood pasture
You can only do this supplemental action on land where there’s continuous cover of rush over more than half of the land parcel entered into the base action at the time of your application.
Your Natural England adviser will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:
- CSP1: Difficult site supplement
- CSP16: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP17: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP18: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP19: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP2: Rewetting supplement
- CSP5: Shepherding supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP6: Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP7: Introduction of cattle grazing on the Isles of Scilly supplement
- CSP9: Support for threatened species
- CSW26: Enhanced floodplain storage supplement
You cannot use this supplement on land where rushes are controlled by grazing only.
Eligible land
Same as base action
Available area
Same or less than the base action.
Rotational or static
This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- 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)
You may need to:
- obtain the necessary consents from the Environment Agency before starting any work such as herbicide use near water courses
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
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
You can apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.
