You can only apply for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide to understand the rules and how to apply.
This item is not available as a standalone capital grant.
Under this item we will pay 80% of actual costs (including VAT, where applicable).
\n\nUsing this item effectively will:
\n\nYou can only use this item if you apply for it alongside CWS3: Grey squirrel control and management and on adjacent areas. The land must be registered on your holding and be an area which grey squirrels are likely to re-colonise.
\n\nThe Forestry Commission will assess your application for this capital item before you are offered an agreement.
\n\nYou cannot use this item:
\n\nYou must:
\n\nYou must keep and provide with your claim:
\n\nYou must also keep records to evidence scheduled maintenance of the traps, bait stations or poles and provide on request.
\n\nAs you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.
\n\nYou can use this item with these plans:
\n\n\n\n\n\nYou can use this item with CWD2: Woodland improvement.
\n\nThe following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.
\n\nFor more information on controlling grey squirrels, read:
\n\nWhen using squirrel traps, you should consider:
\n\nYou should identify that grey squirrels are a threat to the woodland’s condition in a woodland management plan.
\n\nYou should detail control methods including any capital items needed in a species management plan. You must have this approved by a Forestry Commission adviser.
\n\n","change_history":[{"note":"'If you are using your own labour to repair and maintain the traps, the Rural Payments Agency will pay 80% of the 80% value' has been removed.","public_timestamp":"2026-08-17T13:11:49Z"},{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2023-02-07T09:55:51Z"}],"headers":[{"id":"how-much-youll-be-paid","level":2,"text":"How much you'll be paid "},{"id":"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment","level":2,"text":"How this item benefits the environment"},{"id":"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"What you must do to use this item"},{"id":"evidence-you-must-keep","level":2,"text":"Evidence you must keep "},{"headers":[{"id":"capital-plans","level":3,"text":"Capital plans"},{"id":"countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-actions","level":3,"text":"Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions"}],"id":"other-items-you-can-use-with-this-item","level":2,"text":"Other items you can use with this item"},{"headers":[{"id":"using-squirrel-traps","level":3,"text":"Using squirrel traps"},{"id":"what-to-include-in-your-management-plan","level":3,"text":"What to include in your management plan"}],"id":"advice-to-help-you-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"Advice to help you use this item"}],"max_cache_time":10,"metadata":{"grant_type":"capital-item","land_use":["uplands","woodland"]},"temporary_update_type":false},"document_type":"countryside_stewardship_grant","first_published_at":"2023-02-07T09:55:51+00:00","links":{"available_translations":[{"api_path":"/api/content/countryside-stewardship-grants/fy3-squirrel-traps-and-maintenance","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/countryside-stewardship-grants/fy3-squirrel-traps-and-maintenance","base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/fy3-squirrel-traps-and-maintenance","content_id":"ae996e9b-bb20-47b2-883d-e97bb64cda9e","document_type":"countryside_stewardship_grant","links":{},"locale":"en","public_updated_at":"2026-08-17T13:11:49Z","schema_name":"specialist_document","title":"FY3: Grey squirrel traps and maintenance ","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/fy3-squirrel-traps-and-maintenance","withdrawn":false}],"finder":[{"api_path":"/api/content/capital-grant-finder","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/capital-grant-finder","base_path":"/capital-grant-finder","content_id":"0eb7b150-879a-4c44-becc-718e23a77e2c","details":{"facets":[{"allowed_values":[{"label":"Capital item","value":"capital-item"},{"label":"Supplement","value":"supplement"}],"display_as_result_metadata":false,"filterable":true,"key":"grant_type","name":"Grant type","preposition":"of type","type":"text"},{"allowed_values":[{"label":"Air quality","value":"air-quality"},{"label":"Arable land","value":"arable-land"},{"label":"Biodiversity","value":"biodiversity"},{"label":"Boundaries","value":"boundaries"},{"label":"Coast","value":"coast"},{"label":"Educational access","value":"educational-access"},{"label":"Flood risk","value":"flood-risk"},{"label":"Grassland","value":"grassland"},{"label":"Historic environment","value":"historic-environment"},{"label":"Livestock management","value":"livestock-management"},{"label":"Organic land","value":"organic-land"},{"label":"Priority habitats","value":"priority-habitats"},{"label":"Trees (non-woodland)","value":"trees-non-woodland"},{"label":"Uplands","value":"uplands"},{"label":"Vegetation control","value":"vegetation-control"},{"label":"Water quality","value":"water-quality"},{"label":"Pollinators and wildlife","value":"wildlife-package"},{"label":"Woodland","value":"woodland"}],"display_as_result_metadata":false,"filterable":true,"key":"land_use","name":"Areas of interest","preposition":"with","type":"text"}],"index_documents_in_search_engines":true,"show_metadata_block":true,"show_table_of_contents":true},"document_type":"finder","links":{},"locale":"en","public_updated_at":"2026-04-09T09:03:44Z","schema_name":"finder","title":"Capital grant finder","web_url":"https://www.gov.uk/capital-grant-finder","withdrawn":false}],"organisations":[{"analytics_identifier":"EA58","api_path":"/api/content/government/organisations/rural-payments-agency","api_url":"https://www.gov.uk/api/content/government/organisations/rural-payments-agency","base_path":"/government/organisations/rural-payments-agency","content_id":"e8fae147-6232-4163-a3f1-1c15b755a8a4","details":{"acronym":"RPA","brand":"department-for-environment-food-rural-affairs","default_news_image":null,"logo":{"crest":"single-identity","formatted_title":"Rural Payments