What the action involves
This action’s aim is to reduce runoff from rainwater and store more surface and groundwater in grasslands. You can do this through changes such as creating topographical features that will retain water after periods of high rainfall.
The purpose is to help reduce flooding, improve drought resilience and improve water quality.
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:
- create and maintain new topographical features across at least 5% of the action’s area to slow and retain water for longer – for example, low earth bunds, swales and scrapes
- remove or disable artificial drainage such as ditches, drains and pipes – you must agree all drainage works (including modification to existing drainage) in writing with Natural England before carrying out any activities
- establish deep rooting plants such as grasses and native wildflowers, as agreed with your Natural England adviser in your management plan
- graze vegetation to maintain surface roughness throughout the year and maintain an average sward height of 15cm (or taller) during autumn and winter
- keep a record of your grazing livestock
- remove soil compaction before starting work
- control invasive non-native species
- introduce native herbs and grasses to improve soil health, porosity, sward structure and surface roughness and improve biodiversity
You must not:
- cut the land for silage – cutting for hay is allowed but you must avoid features and areas of compaction identified in your agreement
- plough or cultivate unless you’re restoring grass species or removing compaction in the first year
- supplementary feed except with mineral blocks
- apply fertilisers or manures
- create new access routes for vehicles or 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
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 parcel level
- associated invoices
- photographs relevant to the action
Where you can do it
You can do this action on temporary or permanent grassland with low species diversity that have low to moderate fertility. You should do it on grassland where the landscape, soil and geology provide conditions that benefit flood and drought resilience.
You cannot do this action:
- in floodplains
- above the moorland line
- on priority habitat such as species-rich unimproved grassland
- where extractable soil phosphate levels exceed 25mg/l (‘Olsen P’ method)
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 (minimum area of 0.25ha).
Rotational or static actionThis action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.
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 also need to get:
- advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- 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.
