Guidance

Management requirements for Woodland Supplement WS1 (deer control)

Updated 14 May 2025

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

Purpose

This operations note (operations note 59) is to be used to determine the appropriate works within Woodland Supplement WS1 – Deer control and management. WS1 is only eligible to be used in conjunction (on the same area) with Countryside Stewardship (CS) Woodland Improvement Option WD2 and will be used to support the increased use of lethal control of deer.

Effective use of supplement will increase resilience within the woodland, support and help protect biodiversity and structure of the site. Wider environmental benefits are likely to occur beyond the site boundary because of this option.

Learn more about eligibility and requirements for WS1: Deer control and management.

What you need to do

Guidance for each step of the process is provided for each of the mandatory requirements, which are:

Demonstrable increases or maintenance of acceptable levels of deer culling from the start of your Countryside Stewardship agreement.

If you’re in receipt of supplement WS1, you will need to submit the following: 

• a deer management plan 
• deer cull data 
• a deer survey report, including details of deer exclosures 
• a deer habitat impact activity

Deer management plan (DMP)

You should submit a draft deer management plan with your application to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA). This will be agreed with the Forestry Commission woodland officer and deer officer at the time of application, and active from the start of year 1.

Read the ‘WS1 Deer management plan guide’ to help you complete the ‘WS1 Deer management plan template’ found on Management requirements for Woodland Supplement WS1.

A reviewed DMP will be agreed with the Woodland Officer and Deer Officer by the end of year 1.

Carry out agreed levels of culling activity as agreed with the Woodland Officer/Deer Officer in your DMP.

Deer cull data

Collect cull data annually. This should include a detailed record of deer culled, and time spent culling (effort). It is compulsory to submit this data at the end of the year 1 and 5 to the RPA to support your revenue claim. This data may be required upon request in year 3.

Use ‘WS1 Deer cull data template’ found on Management requirements for Woodland Supplement WS1 for this requirement.

Deer survey report, habitat impact activity and deer exclosures

Survey report

These must be recorded throughout the agreement. It is compulsory to submit this at the end of the year 1 and 5 with your revenue claim. This information may also be required upon request in year 3.

Read the Deer survey report guide to help you complete the WS1 Deer survey report template. This is for recording both habitat impact activity and deer exclosures.

Habitat impact activity

You need to complete a habitat impact activity survey. Results are recorded in a deer habitat activity record and summarised at the end of the end of years 1, 3 and 5.

Use the ‘WS1 Deer habitat impact activity record’ and the ‘WS1 Deer survey report template’ found on Management requirements for Woodland Supplement WS1 for this requirement.

Deer exclosures

Deer exclosures will be erected prior to the spring growing period in year 1. Read the WS1 Deer exclosure guide, which includes information on designs as well as monitoring and recording.

Record changes in vegetation growth (through survey and photographs) by completing the WS1 Exclosure record form. Read the WS1 Deer exclosure guide for help.

Reporting occurs before the end of April and before the end of years 1, 3 and 5.

You also need to complete the WS1 Deer survey report template (as used for the habitat impact activity survey results).

The number and approximate location of the exclosures will be by agreement with the woodland/deer officer. These are available as separate capital items, as in FG11 deer exclosure plot, but with 3 additional designs available, as agreed with the woodland/deer officer.

Support and training

Your local Forestry Commission office will provide details of annual training and awareness days, which provide support with management plan writing and completing the monitoring requirements.

How to submit your review documents

When submitting your evidence, make sure that you have used the correct templates.

When you’re ready to submit the cull data and survey report, or any other WS1 review document requested, send them via email. You must title your email with:

• your Single Business Identifier number
• your CRM number and estate name (name of woodland)
• the name of the document you’re submitting
• the review year: for example, if the document is at year 2 of the 5 year agreement, use the title ‘YR2’

An example email title would be: “123456789 CRM-1234567-A8A9A0 Woods Estate Cull data YR2”.

Submit the compulsory evidence in years 1 and 5 to the RPA at the revenue claim stage to ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk.

Additional records may be required upon request in year 3.

Documents will be recorded and you’ll receive an email confirming receipt from the RPA.

Only applicants and their agents with authority are allowed to submit these documents.

Further advice and related information

Read best practice guides on deer management on The Deer Initiative website.

Read Woodland creation and mitigating the impacts of deer.

Search the Countryside Stewardship grant finder for information to help you apply for grant support. Or contact your local Forestry Commission office.