Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this item is to benefit a variety of habitats where rhododendron is invading a sensitive site.

Rhododendrons thrive in damp acidic soils, and quickly grow to form a dense shading canopy at the expense of other native plants.

Mechanised eradication involves using a flail designed to cut and mulch the rhododendron. Flails can be fitted onto tracked excavators, walking excavators and tractor-mounted PTO drives.

Any land where rhododendron is invading a sensitive habitat is eligible.

a) Light category is defined as that where bushes are less than one metre in height and the slope of the ground is between 0 and 33 per cent.

b) Medium category is defined as that where bushes are greater than one metre, but less than three metres, in height, and the slope of the ground is between 0 and 33 per cent.

c) Difficult category is defined as that where bushes are up to three metres in height and the slope of the ground is greater than 33 per cent; or where bushes are greater than three metres in height on any slope of ground.

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

You must prepare a Rhododendron Control Plan, following Scottish Forestry's technical guidance.

The plan must include a 1:10,000 map showing the extent of the rhododendrons, their density (light, medium or heavy), the areas to be treated and the type of treatment you propose (chemical, mechanical or manual) and the timing of treatment. The plan must also detail any proposed follow-up control.

• you must treat the area as detailed in your rhododendron control plan by flailing rhododendron as low as possible to the ground, or use a machine to uproot the plant
• cut material must be burned or chipped. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency must be notified in advance of burning. You must retain a copy of the notification
• you must prevent or treat any regrowth within the area detailed in your rhododendron control plan by applying chemical control to cut stumps or foliar regrowth
• you must maintain a diary
• you must keep photographic evidence of the site before and after treatment as part of your claim

You can claim:

• light: £2,200.00 per hectare of infested land
• medium: £3,400.00 per hectare of infested land
• difficult: £5,600.00 per hectare of infested land

Note that this payment includes costs for one initial chemical follow-up control. If further follow-up is required this can be applied for separately. You can make a claim after the initial clearance has been carried out, but you must ensure at year five that there is no rhododendron present on site.

You may apply for payment on an actual cost basis for this item if the work you are proposing to carry out will benefit the notified features of a designated site, and where there are exceptional circumstances. This can include works which offer a dual benefit to both the environment and the long term management of a Scheduled Monument located within the designated site (Sites of Special Scientific Interest and Natura sites)

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work
• you have treated the area as detailed in your rhododendron control plan to ensure there is no regrowth
• cut material has been burned or chipped. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency must be notified in advance of burning
• you have maintained a diary which includes the dates treatment was undertaken
• you have kept photographic evidence of the site before and after treatment as part of your claim

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