What the action involves
This aim of this action is to maintain rough grassland so there:
- is a sward that has a range of heights
- are areas of very short grass for bird feeding and nesting from the spring
- are areas of surface water and wet features such as drains, grips or scrapes during autumn and winter
- is a minimal amount of scrub, bracken and dense rush
The purpose of this is to provide habitats for upland breeding birds and other wildlife.
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:
- graze according to your stocking calendar
- manage wet features to provide muddy and wet areas for wildfowl and wading birds to feed by rotating mechanical maintenance
- allow grazing to the water’s edge
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to:
- control and manage scrub by cutting or grazing to provide appropriate levels of scrub for the grassland habitat
- top or harrow grassland to provide a sward mosaic
- provide areas of bare ground
- maintain cover (not bracken) over historic or archaeological features
- control dense rush by grazing or cutting each year so it covers no more than 20% of the area
- remove livestock from some areas
- carry out any mechanical operations that may disturb breeding or non-breeding birds between July and October
- cut any ungrazed vegetation on a 2-year rotation between August and mid-March
- from year 2 of your agreement, maintain ditch water levels to create areas of standing water
You must not:
- apply fertilisers or manures except when agreed with your Natural England adviser
- 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
- carry out works on water features or ditches between April and the end of August
- supplementary feed except for the use of mineral blocks or other forms of feed if agreed by a Natural England adviser
- carry out any mechanical operations on historic or archaeological features
- allow bracken to spread
- cut bracken between mid-March and mid-July
- erect permanent fencing around any water features
- carry out drainage works without written permission from 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:
- a stocking calendar
- a count of breeding birds in year 5 of the agreement
- photographs of the extent of bracken on the action area before works start
- field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
- stock records to show grazing activity on parcels
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.
- SFI 2024 — GRH1: £121 per hectare (ha) per year, over 3 years
Where you can do it
You can only do this action on permanent grassland located within a less favoured area (LFA) below the moorland line. The land parcel must be 2ha or more in size and at least one of the following (where agreed with your Natural England adviser):
- designated as upland breeding bird areas for Countryside Stewardship on the MAGIC website (priority species for Countryside Stewardship targeting is not eligible)
- adjacent to a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) – you can find this on the MAGIC website
- adjacent to or includes a watercourse
- part of the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme – you must be able to provide evidence of this from the relevant Peat Partnership
- located in other areas suitable for upland breeding birds – you must be able to provide evidence of this and agree suitability with your Natural England adviser
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 a land parcel.
Rotational or static actionThis 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:
- to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study, such as a PA1 or PA2, 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 Forestry Commission woodland officer or 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
If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply forcapital 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.
