CWT14: Create fen, reedbed or wetland mosaics
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
10 years
How much you’ll be paid
£1,605 per hectare (ha) per year
Action’s aim
This action’s aim is to create new reedbed, fen or wetland habitat mosaic (including mires and flushes) on land that currently has low wildlife value.
The purpose is to:
- increase biodiversity, by supporting a diverse range of target species
- store carbon
- reduce flood risk
- improve water quality
- protect archaeological sites with waterlogged remains
Where you can do this action
You can do this action on eligible land that:
- is arable land, temporary grassland, or improved grassland in a suitable location, if agreed by a Natural England adviser
- is a wetland or grassland habitat in poor condition, if agreed by a Natural England specialist
- has a suitable water supply (quality and quantity) for the target wetland habitat
- is located below the moorland line
You can only do this action if you have a feasibility study or implementation plan agreed with Natural England. The study or plan will tell you if your land is suitable for this action.
You cannot do this action:
- on reedbeds and constructed wetlands that have been created to clean the water
- if it could damage historic or archaeological features
- if it could flood someone else’s land
Eligible land
You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover
| Eligible land type | Eligible land cover | Compatible land use code |
|---|---|---|
| Arable land used to grow crops | Arable land | Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops |
| Temporary grassland | Arable land | TG01 |
| Improved permanent grassland | Permanent grassland | PG01 |
| Arable land lying fallow | Arable land | FA01 |
| Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 2) | Inland water | IW02 |
| Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 3) | Inland water | IW03 |
| Fen, marsh and swamp | Inland wetland | IW06 |
| Bog | Inland wetland | IW07 |
| Reedbeds | Non-agricultural land | MW03 |
| Non-agricultural area or feature which is temporary and likely to change over time (ineligible area) | Non-agricultural area | NA02 |
| Scattered rock | Notional features | NF01 |
| Scattered bracken or heather | Notional features | NF02 |
| Scattered scrub | Notional features | NF03 |
| Scattered water features | Notional features | NF05 |
| Scattered natural features | Notional features | NF06 |
| Watercourse – ditch, drain or dyke | Water/irrigation features | WF01 |
| Pond | Water/irrigation features | WF03 |
| Scrub | Natural woodland | WO25 |
Available area you can enter into this action
Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.
Rotational or static action
This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.
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:
- establish fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic (as set out in your feasibility study or implementation plan)
- provide suitable hydrological conditions for the target habitats
- manage the fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic to maintain clear, unpolluted water
- manage trees and scrub so they usually cover no more than 10% of the area – your adviser will agree the area of trees and scrub with you
- dispose of cut material using agreed methods
- only carry out agreed earthworks
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to:
- control invasive non-native species
- manage vegetation in an agreed way when you’re establishing the wetland
- manage scrub and other species to agreed levels
You must not:
- apply fertilisers or manures
- apply pesticides – you may be able to use herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native plant species, nettles or other plants if this has been 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.
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action
You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.
Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.
| Scheme | Action or option code |
|---|---|
| SFI 2024 actions | CSAM1, OFC1, OFC2, OFM1, OFM2, CIPM1, CNUM1 |
| SFI 2023 actions | SAM1, IPM1, NUM1 |
| CSHT actions | CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CWS1, CWS3, CSP21, CSP20, |
| CS options | OR1, OR2, OT1, OT2 |
| ES options | N/A |
You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements
To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- 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) or where land drainage or changing water levels affect nearby SSSIs
- to obtain the necessary consents from the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) or Internal Drainage Board (IDB) before starting any work
You may need to:
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- get a licence from Natural England if your management affects a protected species or their habitat
- apply for a felling licence from the Forestry Commission to carry out some activities in this action
All archaeological and historic 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.
Choosing a site
Suitable land must have a reliable and adequate supply of water throughout the year. Sites adjacent to existing wetland habitats are particularly suitable for this action.
Sites on peat soils with a reliable supply of good quality water are most appropriate for the creation of fen and wetland mosaic habitat. You can create reedbeds on both peat and mineral soils, and they may be less reliant on good water quality. This will depend on the type of wildlife living on the site and the wildlife you want to support.
Managing your site
Create the fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic habitat with a planned set of wildlife goals. You can assess feasibility and impact in advance and agree a detailed implementation plan for the works with Natural England.
When making your plan, consider:
- area available
- water supply
- topography
- other landscape and management opportunities and constraints such as flood risk, existing habitats, species on site, the historic environment and landscape impact
You can apply for a PA1: Implementation plan or PA2: Feasibility study to fund your plan. You can also use a plan which is not funded by PA1 or PA2 if it includes all the information needed.
Creating and restoring fens
Fens (including mires, flushes and upland wetland mosaics) are diverse habitat types with different fen types depending on factors such as:
- water chemistry
- soil type
- fertility
- position in the landscape
- historical management
To create fen appropriately, consider the location and landscape setting. Set appropriate objectives for creating and managing the fen. Decide how best to create fens by considering:
- how and where it sits in the wider landscape
- how past modification and management have influenced the site and the wildlife it supports
- how the fen will be supplied with water, how it’ll drain and the changes to hydrology that are needed to re-wet the site, such as restoring hydrology that functions naturally, or by managing water levels to achieve wetter conditions.
- other landscape and management opportunities and constraints such as flood risk, existing habitats, species on site, the historic environment and landscape impact
Small fen sites may be fragments of once much larger wetlands and semi-natural landscapes. Look for opportunities to extend and buffer existing fens by:
- re-wetting areas with drained land next to them
- blocking or in-filling pipes or ditches that intercept springs or drain the fen
- undertaking appropriate management on surrounding land such as buffering the fen from agricultural inputs
Consider the surroundings and neighbouring habitats to plan more coherent wetland units. Habitats can include:
- raised and blanket bog
- rivers and lakes
- wet grassland
- wet woodland
Speak to your Natural England about funding to manage these habitats.
Water coming from the area around the fen largely determines its character and condition. It’s important you manage the surrounding land in a way that does not damage the fen through pollution by nutrients or sediment runoff.
When the habitat is established, you may need to maintain it by grazing or cutting.
Creating and restoring reedbed
Reedbed habitat quality can vary greatly. The type of habitat that’s suitable for different wildlife depends on:
- reedbed size
- how wet or dry it is
- scrub cover
- soil type
- water quality
- reed management practices
For example, a small scrubby reedbed can support a diverse invertebrate assemblage but will not attract breeding bittern.
Your Natural England adviser will not recommend creating reed beds where:
- they would cause damage or loss of existing semi-natural habitat
- there is an opportunity to create a more diverse or more geographically appropriate type of fen, particularly on peat soils
If reedbeds are characteristic of the local landscape, extend existing reedbeds rather than fragment the landscape pattern when creating new sites.
When the habitat is established, you may need to maintain it by grazing or cutting.
Establishing wetland vegetation
You can establish wetland vegetation in different ways including:
- natural colonisation
- moving turf from one place to another (translocation)
- inoculation by rhizomes
- introduction of seed and/or plug planting of pot grown plants
Include how you’ll establish vegetation in your feasibility study or implementation plan.
Managing scrub
Scrub plants and scrubby areas within wetlands increase habitat complexity and may support rare species. You can include small areas of scrub in the fen, reedbed and wetland mosaic action – your agreement will set this out. You may find that large areas are more suitable for scrub or woodland actions if they need managing. You’ll need to do ongoing scrub control as part of your regular wetland management.
Managing the hydrology
Restoring the natural hydrology by removing or blocking artificial drainage such as ditches, grips and field drains is the best thing to do in most instances. Capital items for grip blocking drainage channels and major preparatory works can be used to support this.
In areas with more intensive water management systems (for example, the Fens, Somerset Levels, Norfolk and Suffolk Broads) ditches may need creating, managing or restoring to maintain high water levels.
Controlling invasive, non-native species
Monitor and control invasive, non-native plant species, such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed, to stop them spreading. These species can out-compete native plants or take their shade. Seek advice if the site contains invasive water plants like Crassula helmsii (New Zealand pigmyweed) or floating pennywort.
Make sure the way you treat and dispose of invasive non-native plant material does not endanger human health or the environment.
You’ll need to get agreement from the Environment Agency to use herbicides in or near water. Products must be approved for aquatic use. Read guidance on controlling invasive non-native plants.
Where not to use this action
Your Natural England adviser would not recommend using this action on areas of permanent open water over 1ha, unless the intention is for these areas to develop fen or reedbed vegetation as part of a dynamic wetland system
If your site has peat soils but the water quality is not good enough to create fen or wetland mosaic habitat, you may like to consider the actions for raising water levels in peat soils.
Sites which rely on flooding from rivers only, and don’t have a reliable, good quality, year-round water source, are unlikely to be suitable for fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic creation. They may be suitable for actions such as Connect river and floodplain habitats, Flood mitigation on arable reversion to grassland or Flood mitigation on permanent grassland.
Responding to climate change
Read Natural England’s publication: ‘Adaptation for habitats in Environmental Land Management Schemes’ to help you consider your general response to climate change. You must continue to follow the mandatory activities for this CSHT action.