Rural Payments and Services

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The aim of this option is to benefit lowland bogs, by keeping the bog surface (both the vegetation and the peat) as intact, undisturbed and as wet as possible.

The plants that grow on bogs, such as sphagnum mosses, bog cotton and heathers, have adapted to grow in wet conditions with limited nutrients. They contribute to the creation of peat which acts as a carbon sink helping to mitigate against climate change. Sphagnum moss in particular can hold large volumes of water which contributes to flood management.

Bogs also support a wide range of insects, such as butterflies, moths, dragonflies and damselflies.

Any land with lowland bog is eligible.

You must combine this option with all of the following capital items, unless you can demonstrate, based on expert advice, that these capital works are not required.

• Ditch Blocking – Peat Dams
• Ditch Blocking – Plastic Piling Dams
• Control of Scrub or Woody Vegetation – Primary Treatment – Light Vegetation
• Control of Scrub or Woody Vegetation – Primary Treatment – Intermediate and Heavy Vegetation

You can check if this option is available on your holding here.

You must prepare and submit for approval a bog management plan.

The plan must include a map showing the location of the bog to be managed, the current grazing regime, the location of any ditches that have already been dammed and where appropriate, the location of all proposed new capital item works.

You must manage the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract.

• you must maintain new or existing dams installed to block ditches
• do not undertake muirburn, without prior written approval
• do not spray, except for the spot-treatment of injurious weeds (requires prior written notification) or treatment of invasive species (requires prior written approval)
• do not apply lime, fertiliser, slurry or farmyard manure
• do not plough or cultivate
• do not extract peat
• do not plant trees
• do not create vehicle tracks without prior approval
• do not dig or clear out ditches, without prior approval
• you must maintain a diary

And if grazing:

• you must adhere to an approved grazing plan defining the stocking density and grazing dates
• do not carry out supplementary livestock feeding, without prior approval

You can claim:

• £37.41 per hectare per year for management without grazing
• £89.75 per hectare per year for management with grazing

There are separate capital items to support bog management, which could include, but are not restricted to:

• Ditch Blocking – Plastic Piling Dams
• Ditch Blocking – Peat Dams
• Control of Scrub or Woody Vegetation – Primary Treatment – Light Vegetation
• Control of Scrub or Woody Vegetation – Primary Treatment – Intermediate and Heavy Vegetation
• Moving or Realigning Ditches
• Muirburn and Heather Cutting
• Matting to Prevent Damage to Bogs

The following management option can support bog management:

• Management of Buffer Areas for Fens and Lowland Bogs

The inspectors will check:

• you have maintained new or existing dams installed to block ditches.
• you have not undertaken muirburn, without prior written approval
• you have not sprayed, unless with prior written notification or approval as appropriate
• you have not applied lime, fertiliser, slurry or farmyard manure
• you have not ploughed or cultivated
• you have not extracted peat
• you have not planted trees
• you have not created vehicle tracks without prior approval
• you have not dug or cleared out ditches, without prior approval
• you have maintained a diary

And if grazing:

• you have adhered to an approved grazing plan defining the stocking density and grazing dates
• you have not carried out supplementary livestock feeding, without prior approval

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

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