BE4: Management of traditional orchards

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the management of traditional orchards option.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
8 February 2022 — See all updates
Grant type:
Option
Land use:
Biodiversity, Priority habitats, Trees (non-woodland), Uplands
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
£201 to £300

How much will be paid

£264 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier on whole or part-parcels on traditional orchards (apple, pear, cherry, plum, damson or cobnut plats) where at least one-third of the original stations are occupied by trees over 25 years old.

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 orchard must also be mapped as a traditional orchard on the Priority Habitat Inventory (see the MAGIC website.)

Features that can be included in this option

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

  • Ditches
  • Drains
  • Dykes
  • Rivers and streams (boundary or internal) The features must be less than 4 metres (m) wide for the majority of their length in the parcel.

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

How this option will benefit the environment

If successful there will be a well-managed traditional orchard with a range of healthy young and old trees. This includes established grass, tall bushy hedges, scrub and tall herb vegetation abundant with invertebrates, birds and wildflowers.

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 ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

Provide a range of healthy young and mature fruit trees. Restore tree numbers by planting fruit trees on vigorous root stock, as detailed in the capital works plan. New trees will be formatively pruned with the base kept free of vegetation for at least three years after planting. Protect all trees from livestock and wild animals. Keep all mature and over mature trees, standing deadwood and deadwood on living trees.

Manage the grass by grazing or cutting for hay. During the autumn and winter allow some of this grass to go to seed. Manage any scrub that’s present to ensure there is a minimum present throughout the year. Control invasive species.

Prohibited activities

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

  • Plough, cultivate or re-seed
  • Roll or harrow
  • Apply any fertilisers or manures
  • Apply lime
  • Carry out supplementary feeding
  • Carry out drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without RPA’s written permission before work starts.
  • Use pesticides, except for herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe to control nettles, bracken, injurious weeds or invasive non-natives
  • Use fungicides to target specific pests and diseases, without prior approval from your Natural England adviser.

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

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:

  • manage grassland by grazing or hay cutting
  • maintain the characteristic tree form by pruning
  • restore tree numbers
  • protect trees from damage by livestock
  • keep and protect all mature and over-mature standing trees
  • keep standing deadwood and some deadwood on living trees
  • control scrub and invasive species
  • from 1 September to 28 February, inclusive, allow at least 5 to 10% of the total area covered by this option to support grasses that have been allowed to go to seed and with the seed heads left undisturbed
  • keep a 1m diameter circle around the base of all newly planted trees clear of vegetation for at least 3 years after planting
  • manage tree guards to prevent any damage to growing trees

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.

  • Receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with any work
  • Records of all management activity on the option area for each parcel
  • Dates and locations of formative or maintenance pruning carried out for each parcel
  • A base map or table showing the location, species, rootstock, variety and age class of trees present in each parcel
  • A monthly record of stock numbers grazing each parcel
  • Photographs of trees entered into the option and cut areas of scrub
  • If managing by hay cutting, photographs of the areas cut and uncut in each parcel

Additional guidance and advice

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

Traditional orchards

Traditional orchards are defined as groups of fruit and nut trees planted on vigorous rootstocks at low densities in permanent grassland, and managed in a low intensity way. This includes cobnut plats.

Preventing weeds

Prevent weeds from competing with newly planted trees for water and nutrients. Keep a 1m diameter circle clear of all vegetation for at least the first 3 years after planting.

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.

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply.

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 8 February 2022 + show all updates

  1. New payment rate from 1 January 2022.

  2. Option updated for agreements starting 1 January 2022

  3. Requirements updated with bullet added about supporting grasses that have been allowed to go to seed.

  4. The Keeping records section of this page has been updated.

  5. Updated for 2017 applications.

  6. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  7. First published.

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