Rural Payments and Services

This item is eligible when you are erecting a new deer fence or when you are modifying an existing deer fence in black grouse and capercaillie core areas where your supporting information justifies enhancing / modifying a deer fence to meet the option objectives.

This standard cost includes labour and fence visibility marking materials as outlined below.

Fences must be within one kilometre of an active capercaillie lek, or within two kilometres of an active black grouse lek.

The application for this standard cost requires a supporting statement from the local capercaillie project officer or RSPB advisory officer. If there is a capercaillie / black grouse management plan for the site this should be included.

When modifying an existing fence, you must make sure that the fence line is capable of taking the extra strain, has an appropriate top wire and has struts in appropriate positions. All fencing woodwork should be treated.

Specifications supported by this cost are:

• individual pales 0.9 metres or 1.8 metres of chestnut / sawn softwood @ 150 millimetre centres if vertical or 1.2 metre or 1.8 metre pales @ 500 millimetres apart at both ends if diagonal
• rolls of 0.9 metres or 1.8 metres chestnut / sawn timber @ 150 millimetre centres
• rolls of 0.9 metres or 1.8 metres chestnut / sawn softwood pales @ 300 millimetre centres
• individual pales 0.9 metres or 1.8 metres chestnut / sawn softwood @ 300 millimetre, if vertical. Individual 1.2 metre or 1.8 metre pales with pales @ 1 metre apart at both ends if diagonal

Details on choosing the correct specification above can be found in Fence Marking to Reduce Grouse Collisions.

Your local capercaillie / black grouse project officer or RSPB advisory officer can provide advice on the siting of fences to reduce potential problems and the most suitable fence marking to use.

We require this item to be in place, meeting minimum specifications and in good order for a period of at least five years following the date you received your payment.

Fence Marking to Reduce Grouse Collisions

Technical Guide: Forest Fencing

Please make sure you abide by conditions set out in the Forestry Grant Scheme claim form and guidance.

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