Rural Payments and Services

For recent changes to this guidance, please see the bottom of the page.

The aim of this option is to benefit fens and lowland bogs by increasing the water levels and reducing nutrient inputs on land immediately adjacent.

Buffer areas can help maintain water levels and reduce nutrients flowing into the bog or fen. They can also provide grazing stock with access to an area of drier land.

Buffer areas also contribute to flood management, soil protection and carbon storage.

Land that is immediately adjacent to a fen or lowland bog is eligible.

You should not include areas of land covering rocks, scree, water, dense bracken etc. We will check this using the same approach we use to check land for the Basic Payment Scheme.

Assessing your land eligibility

This option is available throughout Scotland.

You must identify on a map the locations of the bog or fen, and the buffer area to be managed.

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

• if you are undertaking capital work to wet the buffer area, this must be completed by 1 June in the first year of your contract
• where no grassland exists, you must establish a grass sward by 1 June in the first year of your contract
• you must adhere to an approved grazing regime defining the stocking density and grazing dates

We strongly advise that you use the template below. If you choose to create your own plan, then you MUST provide all information requested in the template.

Failure to do so may result in your plan being deemed not fit for purpose and the option or item removed from your application.

• do not plough or cultivate the area, except to aid establishment in the spring of year one for land in an arable rotation
• do not carry out supplementary livestock feeding without prior approval
• do not apply lime, fertiliser, slurry or farmyard manure
• do not spray, except for the spot-treatment of injurious weeds (requires prior written notification) or treatment of invasive species (requires prior written approval)
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim £313.36 per hectare per year.

The following capital payments are available to support the creation of buffer areas:

• Wetland Creation – Field Drain Breaking
• Wetland Creation – Pipe Sluices
• Ditch Blocking – Plastic Piling Dams
• Ditch Blocking – Peat Dams
• Moving or Realigning Ditches
• Creation of Buffer Areas for Fens and Bogs

Note that this list is not exhaustive.

The inspectors will check:

• if you undertook capital work to wet the buffer area, you have completed this by 1 June in the first year of your contract
• where no grassland exists, you have established a grass sward by 1 June in the first year of your contract
• you have adhered to an approved grazing regime defining the stocking density and grazing dates
• you have not sprayed, unless with prior written notification or approval as appropriate
• you have not carried out supplementary livestock feeding without prior approval
• you have not applied lime, fertiliser, slurry or farmyard manure
• you have not ploughed or cultivated
• you have maintained a diary

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

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