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How much will be paid

353 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

Its available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on whole or part parcels on permanent grassland that is one of the following.

• Coastal or floodplain grazing marsh identified as priority habitat
• Other grassland identified as habitat for breeding waders

The grassland must already support breeding waders (curlew, lapwing, redshank or snipe) or have high potential for being restored for them.You must also meet one of the following conditions.

• You are currently following a recommended fertiliser management system to plan nutrient inputs across the farm
• You will adopt a recommended fertiliser management system within 18 months of the start of the agreement
• You qualify as a low intensity farmer

In Mid Tier you can only use this option if it meets the relevant criteria and you have written approval from the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). The parcel must be mapped as priority habitat and be included within one of the 4 species layers, to show the species is present. The land must be mapped on the Priority Habitat Inventory as coastal flood plain grazing marsh or purple moor grass and rush pasture or lowland meadow (see the MAGIC website).

Features that can be included in this option

You can include the following features if they are part of the land, even if they are not eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

• Ditches, dykes, drains, rivers or streams that are less than 4 metres (m) wide for the majority of their length in the parcel
• Permanent water less than or equal to 0.1ha (larger areas may be eligible at the discretion of Natural England)
• Temporary water
• Natural unsurfaced roads, tracks, paths and bridleways (as long as you still able to carry out the requirements of the option)
• Small areas of other types of habitat, such as reedbeds and scrub (at the discretion of Natural England)

Related options

You can locate the following options and supplements on the same area as this option:

• GS16 - Rush infestation control supplement
• OR1 Organic conversion improved permanent grassland
• OR2 Organic conversion unimproved permanent grassland
• OT1 Organic land management improved permanent grassland
• OT2 Organic land management unimproved permanent grassland
• SP4 - Control of invasive plant species supplement (Higher Tier only)
• SP8 - Native breeds at risk supplement (Higher Tier only
• SP9 - Threatened species supplement
• WT3 - Management of ditches of high environmental value

You can also use the following supplements with this option, but only in exceptional circumstances at the discretion of Natural England:

• SP1 - Difficult sites supplement (Higher Tier only)
• SP2 - Raised water level supplement (Higher Tier only)
• SP5 - Shepherding supplement (Higher Tier only)
• SP6 - Cattle grazing supplement

How this option will benefit the environment

It will provide habitat in wet grassland for breeding wading birds (curlew, redshank, lapwing or snipe). Fields will have wet areas and suitable sward conditions throughout the winter and spring and into the early summer. Waders will be able to nest and, in most years, successfully fledge their young.

Aims

During the spring and early summer, the correct sward conditions for the target wader species will be maintained, usually by grazing as per the agreed stocking calendar. Waders will be able to nest undisturbed.

Management of ditch water levels will ensure that soils are wet and/or there are areas of surface water and bare, wet mud during the breeding season for waders to feed. The appropriate sward conditions and in-field wetness for the target wader species will be explained in the additional aims within your agreement.

By autumn, grazing will have removed the years grass growth so that the appropriate sward conditions can be achieved the following spring.

During the autumn and winter, there will be areas of surface water and wet features. Wintering wildfowl and waders will be able to feed and roost undisturbed.

Management will ensure that cover of soft and hard rush is no more than 10 to 20% (as described in the additional aims) and cover of trees, scrub and other undesirable species (listed in the recommended management) is low. Any archaeological or historic features will be protected under a grass cover, with a low cover of bare ground, no increase in scrub cover and no damage incurred as a result of machinery use.

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities:

• plough, cultivate or reseed the grassland, unless agreed in writing with the RPA
• use pesticides, except for herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe to control nettles, bracken, soft and hard rush, injurious weeds or invasive non-native species (weed wiping may not be allowed on some sites this will be specified in your agreement)
• harrow or roll, supplementary feed or allow additional scrub to encroach on historic or archaeological features
• cut silage/hay/haylage or rushes before 15 July (or the date specified in the additional aims and prohibited activities)
• operate machinery or carry out other activities during the bird breeding season that may disturb birds or damage nests
• carry out activities which may disturb non-breeding birds from November to March
• carry out drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without the RPAs written permission before work starts.
• apply any inorganic fertiliser
• apply more than 12 tonnes per ha of farmyard manure (or the amounts stated in the additional prohibited activities) or increase the application rate if it is currently less than this
• apply farmyard manure in years when the field is not cut for hay/haylage
• work on ditches between 1 April and 31 August
• use supplementary feed except for mineral blocks (hay/haylage may be scattered in autumn/winter, but only if this is required to extend the grazing season in order to provide the correct spring sward conditions)

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.

Recommended management

To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you employ best practice.

We recommend that you:

• provide the correct sward conditions for the target species, usually by grazing with cattle in accordance with the stocking calendar.
• manage livestock during the breeding season to reduce the risk of them trampling nests (appropriate stocking rates will be set out in the stocking calendar)
• maintain wet features (such as footdrains, gutters and scrapes) every 2-4 years to provide muddy areas for waders to feed
• keep these features wet into May or June by holding high ditch water levels and allow them to dry out gradually in July or August
• keep the vegetation around wet features short by grazing or rotational cutting
• control and manage trees, scrub, and undesirable species (which
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