CSP7: Introduction of cattle grazing on the Isles of Scilly supplement
What you must do to get paid for this CSHT action and advice on how to do it.
This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance before you apply.
Duration
5 years
How much you’ll be paid
£279 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
The aim of this supplemental action is to introduce conservation grazing to the Isles of Scilly. This is on land where cattle do not currently graze.
The purpose is to help protect the environment by:
- introducing a more varied sward structure that’ll increase wildlife diversity
- helping manage scrub, bracken and coarse vegetation
- making sure animals graze wet areas and difficult sites such as steep slopes
Where you can do this action
You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land located on the Isles of Scilly. It must be used in combination with a CSHT land management action where cattle grazing will help achieve the supplement’s aims, as agreed with your Natural England adviser.
Your Natural England adviser will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:
- CCT6: Coastal vegetation management supplement
- CGS16: Rush control supplement
- CGS23: Haymaking supplement
- CGS24: Haymaking supplement (late cut)
- CSP1: Difficult site supplement
- CSP2: Rewetting supplement
- CSP3: Bracken control supplement
- CSP5: Shepherding supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP11: Manage scrapes and gutters supplement
- CSP12: Rhododendron control and management supplement
- CSP16: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP17: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP18: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP19: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP9: Support for threatened species
- CSW26: Enhanced floodplain storage supplement
- CUP18: Manage features for wildfire management (fire and fuel breaks) supplement
- CWS10: 2-zone rides supplement
- CWS11: 3-zone rides supplement
- CWS2: Manage and restore plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) supplement
- CWS5: Improve woodland resilience supplement
- CWS7: Manage historic features in woodlands supplement
- CWS8: Manage native woodland including ancient semi-natural woodlands (ASNW) supplement
- CWS9: Manage woodlands for flood and drought mitigation supplement
Eligible land
Same as base action.
Available area you can enter into this supplement
Same or less than the base action.
Rotational or static action
Same as base action.
What to do
Your Natural England adviser 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.
To get paid for this action, you must:
- graze cattle on the land with the supplement
- follow a stocking calendar agreed with your Natural England adviser
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, including:
- field operations at a land parcel level
- associated invoices
- photographs
- monthly stock records for numbers of animals grazing
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- 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:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
- get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
All historic and archaeological 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 to support this action
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.
Advice to help you do this action
The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.
This supplement uses cattle to graze because they:
-
create a varied sward structure, with more niches for invertebrates and taller patches that can flower and set seed
-
expose bare ground and tread seed into gaps large enough to allow establishment
-
eat fibrous vegetation in summer and autumn, which may have accumulated when swards are rested or grazed lightly in spring
-
eat species less preferred by sheep, such as tall scrub, tor grass, mat grass and purple moor grass
-
tread down bracken and other dominant species
-
graze very wet areas where sheep are reluctant to venture
Avoid using this supplement where it will damage historic features.
Cattle breeds you can use
Many cattle breeds or crossbreeds may be capable of meeting the requirements of this supplement.
To manage fibrous vegetation, you will need to graze with cattle with low nutritional requirements, such as dry suckler cows.
If the base action supports breeding birds, graze with mature, placid cattle that reduce trampling.
Follow an appropriate cattle management system to minimise poaching or damaging soil structure, for example:
- delay turning out cattle
- bring forward housing dates
- move cattle to drier fields
- only supplementary feed with minerals