WD7: Management of successional areas and scrub
Find out about eligibility and requirements for the management of successional areas and scrub option.
How much will be paid
£276 per hectare (ha).
Where to use this option
It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier, Lowland grazing offer, Upland offer and Mixed farming offer on whole or part parcels:
- where scrub cover makes up at least 5% of the area
- as part of the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package
Where this option cannot be used
- Where there are historic or archaeological features
- On existing open habitats (where scrub can be included in a relevant option)
- Where scrub would be out of character for the area
Related Mid Tier options
You can locate the following supplement on the same area as this option and supplement.
How this option will benefit the environment
It provides enhanced habitat for a wide range of wildlife, such as birds and invertebrates, and improves the quality of the woodland edge. It also helps prevent soil erosion and holds back water to reduce downstream flood risks.
Aims
If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will make sure the environmental benefits are being delivered.
Throughout the year there will be a mosaic of different grasses and scrub. Where there are growing trees these will be protected and any standing and fallen deadwood will be left in place. Injurious weeds and invasive non-native species will be controlled.
From late autumn until early spring there will be no livestock in the option area.
Prohibited activities
To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities.
- Cut more than one-third of shrub growth in any one calendar year
- Cut during the bird breeding season (1 March to 31 August)
- Apply fertilisers or manures
- Plough, cultivate or re-seed
- Harrow or roll
- Supplementary feed
- Use pesticides, except for herbicides to weed wipe or spot treat injurious weeds, invasive non-native species, nettles or bracken
- Carry out drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without written permission before work starts.
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 use best practice.
We recommend that you:
- keep livestock out of the option area from 1 October to 30 April
- only cut to maintain the scrub and grass mosaic and to control the spread of injurious weeds and invasive non-native species
- protect growing trees from livestock and wild animals
- make sure tree guards do not damage growing trees
- keep all mature and veteran trees and all standing deadwood, if safe to do so
- keep all fallen deadwood uncut and in place, stacked in piles
Keeping records
Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.
- Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
- A monthly record of the number of grazing livestock in each parcel
- A standard soil analysis carried out in the last 5 years, including analysis of organic matter by loss on ignition. The rules for farmers and land managers to prevent water pollution already require farmers and land managers to carry out soil testing on cultivated agricultural land. You can use these test results to meet the record-keeping requirements for this option
- Any consents or permissions connected with this work
- Photographs the management undertaken
- Evidence of extent of scrub cover. You can mark this on any map including the Farm Environment Record (FER)
Additional guidance and advice
The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.
Pick the right location
This option works best where:
- there is some open ground among the scrub for grasses and non-woody plants to grow
- scrub is next to other habitats such as grassland or heath
- scrub is established by woodland edges
- scrub can hold soils together and slow down surface runoff
Remove livestock
Remove grazing livestock to allow scrub plants to establish. Once established, stop scrub from becoming too dense by cutting on rotation, or grazing.
Establish a variety of scrub
Establish a variety of scrub to provide habitats and food for target species. For example:
- gorse scrub can support birds like the Dartford warbler, stonechat, linnet and yellowhammer
- willow scrub in wetlands can support warblers, reed bunting and willow tits
- buds and berries and caterpillars on scrub are essential food sources for birds
Dead and fallen trees
Leave any trees that die or fall in position, except where it is necessary to remove them for health and safety reasons.
Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
This option can form part of an IPM approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases. If successful, appropriate and within proximity of cropped areas, these may limit the need for the use of Plant Protection Products and enhance wildlife and biodiversity on your holding. Read information on IPM at AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) Integrated Pest Management and LEAF (Linking Environment and Farming).
Biodiversity
This option has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.
The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
If you intend to create a new woodland, you must consider if you need consent from the Forestry Commission under the Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) regulations. When proposing a project, you must demonstrate that your proposal will not have a significant effect on the environment; that is, it is UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant.
Use the Forestry Commission map browser and Land Information Search to check if your forestry project is likely to have a significant effect on the environment and MAGIC to search for known protections, designations, features that may be adversely affected by woodland creation, or whether your proposal is within a low sensitivity area where woodland creation may be more appropriate.
For all projects, walk over the location to check for any obvious features that are not otherwise recorded, for example, veteran trees, wet flushes, ground nesting birds which may be adversely affected by tree planting and take them into account when designing your proposal.
Once you have this information, if you are still unsure if your project will have a significant effect (and therefore need consent) check with the Forestry Commission. If your project is likely to have a significant effect on the environment, you will need consent from the Forestry Commission before it can go ahead.
There are four types of forestry projects under the EIA Forestry regulations, one of which is Afforestation.
Afforestation means conversion of a non-woodland land use, for example agriculture, into woodland or forest (these terms are used interchangeably) by means of planting or facilitating natural regeneration (self-sowing) of trees to form woodland cover. This can include proposals for short rotation coppice (SRC) and short rotation forestry (SRF), including those for energy crops or Christmas tree plantations.
Please read Environmental Impact Assessments for woodland for more information.
Further information
Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier, Higher Tier, Lowland grazing offer, Upland offer and including how to apply.
Last updated 9 January 2024 + show all updates
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Update to how much will be paid
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This option is now available as part of the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package
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The 'Additional guidance and advice' section has been updated with information on Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA)
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New payment rate from 1 January 2022.
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Additional guidance and advice section updated - this option can form part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases.
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The minimum scrub requirement has been reduced from 10% to 5%. 'Where to use this option' now includes Lowland Grazing Offer, Upland Offer and Mixed Farming Offer.
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Option updated for agreements starting 1 January 2022
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Page refreshed and updated.
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Updated for 2017 applications.
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Information updated for applications in 2016.
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First published.