What the action involves
This action’s aim is to prevent damage to historic and archaeological features under cultivation. You can do this by using shallower cultivation depths and direct drilling where subtle earthwork survive, combined with cover crops to improve the resilience of soil structure to compaction, erosion and weed burdens.
The purpose of this is to:
- prevent damage to below-ground historic and archaeological features
- improve soil health
What you must do
Your Natural England or Historic 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:
- ensure all work involving tillage, soil management, planting and harvesting does not go deeper than 15cm
- use a direct drill system where historic or archaeological earthworks are known to survive
- plant a cover crop for at least one of the 5 years of your agreement
- locate vehicle or stock access routes at least 6m away from the historic and archaeological feature
You must not:
- use equipment trains that are longer than 6m
- carry out drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without written permission from your Natural England adviser
You must not grow the following crops on the action area:
- maize
- lucerne
- root and tuber crops (excluding non-harvestable root crops such as grazed fodder beet and forage turnips)
- short rotation coppice
- miscanthus
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:
- field operations at a land parcel level
- associated invoices
- photographs
Where you can do it
You can do this action on eligible land that’s either:
- is identified as containing a historic or archaeological feature on your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER)
- contains an historic or archaeological feature identified by you, and agreed with a Natural England adviser
You cannot use this action on parcels at risk of soil erosion or runoff. Your Natural England or Historic England adviser will confirm which areas are suitable.
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.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
You may need to:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get advice from your Historic England, Natural England adviser or local authority if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All historic and archaeological features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).
You can manage any historic and archaeological features you identify that are not listed on your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) under this action (if agreed with your Natural England).
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.
