What the action involves
This action’s aim is that there’s limited livestock density grazing on the moorland, so its habitat is maintained or enhanced alongside farming.
The purpose of this is to:
- prevent expansion of areas of bare ground
- increase surface roughness
- reduce diffuse pollution
- improve water quality and flood risk management
- provide habitats for moorland species
- protect historic and archaeological features
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 either:
- agree the grazing livestock units (GLU) per hectare with your Natural England adviser, either as an average over the grazing period or as a maximum at any time – this must not exceed 0.04 GLU per ha.
- follow a stocking calendar (as agreed with your Natural England adviser)
For the following actions, the period of livestock removal required in that action will be deducted from the average stocking calculation:
- CUP12: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 4 months)
- CUP13: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 6 months)
- CUP14: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 8 months)
You must also keep a monthly record of stock numbers and shepherding activities on the land parcel entered into this action. You must record:
- land parcel reference numbers
- hectarage
- dates you plan to graze during each calendar month
- monthly numbers of livestock which will graze the land parcel, including their type and age bracket
If you manage several adjacent land parcels as one grazing unit, you can keep one stocking calendar for that grazing unit.
To convert livestock numbers into GLU, your Natural England adviser will decide on the appropriate value depending on the type and breed of livestock grazing the area. They may use the following values:
- cattle over 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 1.0 GLU
- cattle over 6 months to 2 years old at the start of an agreement year – 0.6 GLU
- lowland ewe and lamb or ram – 0.12 GLU
- store lamb, hill ewe and lamb or hogg or teg – 0.08 GLU
- goat – 0.12 GLU
- pony or donkey – 0.8 GLU
- horse – 1.0 GLU
Lambs at foot do not have a separate GLU allocation, they are included in the figure for the ewe.
You must not supplementary feed livestock on land entered into this action, unless this has been agreed with your Natural England adviser to support the purpose of this action.
The feeding of hay or haylage is permitted in cases of extreme weather for the purpose of animal welfare only.
Extreme weather is defined as 2 or more consecutive days of deep snow or hard frost.
Read more about supplementary feeding in extreme weather in the advice section of this action.
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: a monthly record of stock numbers and shepherding activities.
For each supplementary feed (due to extreme weather or as agreed), you must provide:
- a record of the time and date
- the location using maps and photographs
The same action appears in the other schemes under a different code. The work is broadly the same; the rate and the length of the commitment are not.
- SFI26 — UPL3: £111 per hectare per year, over 3 years
- SFI26 pays £45 more per hectare per year and commits you for 3 years rather than 10.
Where you can do it
You can only use this action in combination with Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier action CUP3: General moorland management.
You can do this action on eligible land that:
- is above the moorland line
- is above the stockproof boundary of enclosed semi-natural vegetation and may include allotments, intakes or newtakes
- contains one or more moorland priority habitats or species, unless you’re also applying for CUP7: Manage non-peat moorland soils for flood and drought resilience supplement, where you do not need one or more priority habitats or species
If a land parcel is located above and below the moorland line, you can enter it into this action if:
- most of the area is above the moorland line
- it’s managed as one grazing unit with adjacent land parcels located above the moorland line
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 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:
- 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:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
- get advice from your relevant Natural England adviser if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
All historic and archaeological 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.
