What the action involves
The aim of this supplemental action is to restore and manage plantations on ancient woodland sites.
The purpose is to deliver benefits for net zero and biodiversity.
What you must do
Your Forestry Commission woodland officer 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.
The advice you’re given from Forestry Commission is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to:
- reduce the percentage of conifer or non-native trees
- identify, map and tag existing and future veteran trees
- manage woodlands through coppicing, thinning, selective felling or regeneration felling
- manage areas of scrub to create a mix of woodland scrub habitats
- maintain restocked areas to make sure trees are established
- avoid using herbicides in areas with a surviving semi-natural ground flora, such as wild herbs, grasses, ferns, and mosses
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.
Where you can do it
You can only use this supplemental action in combination with Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier base action CWD2: Woodland improvement action.
You can do this supplemental action on established woodlands that are a plantation on ancient woodland site (PAWS). This can be identified either on Natural England’s ‘Ancient Woodland Inventory’ as a parcel with PAWS status, or on the Magic Map system as Ancient Replanted Woodland or identified in your Woodland Management Plan.
You can only do this action if you have a Woodland Management Plan agreed with Forestry Commission.
Your Forestry Commission woodland officer will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:
- CES6: Maintain features for wildfire management (fire belts) supplement
- CSP2: Rewetting supplement
- CSP3: Bracken control supplement
- CSP9: Support for threatened species
- CSP12: Rhododendron control and management supplement
- CUP18: Manage features for wildfire management (fire and fuel breaks) supplement
- CWS10: 2-zone rides supplement
- CWS11: 3-zone rides supplement
- CWS7: Manage historic features in woodlands supplement
- CWS9: Manage woodlands for flood and drought mitigation supplement
You cannot do this supplemental action on the same land as:
- CWS8: Manage native woodland including ancient and semi-natural woodland (ASNW)
- CWS5: Improve woodland resilience supplement
Eligible land
Same as base action.
Available area
Same or less than the base action.
Rotational or static
Same as base action.
Consents and permissions
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- a Forestry Commission approved woodland management plan
- 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:
- get advice from your Forestry Commission woodland officer if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- apply for a felling licence from the Forestry Commission to carry out some activities in this action
- get 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.
