Rural Payments and Services

Date published: 1 January 2015

Date superseded: 6 December, 2016

Table of Contents

• Arable options
• Grassland options
• Upland, peatland, moorland and heath options
• Wetland and bog options
• Farmland habitat and feature options
• Small unit options
• Control of invasive non-native species options
• Managing water quality and flood risk options
• Organic options
• Public access options
• All capital items
• Management of Scheduled Monuments

A wide range of management options and capital items are available under the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme.

There are rules and management requirements for each and they must be followed over the course of your contract.

Also, supporting information is available which provides recommendations and best practice in relation to the why, where, how and what for each option and capital item. Your application could gain additional points if you follow these.

• Unharvested Conservation Headlands for Wildlife
• Wild Bird Seed for Farmland Birds
• Forage Brassica Crops for Farmland Birds
• Stubbles Followed by Green Manure in an Arable Rotation
• Retention of Winter Stubbles for Wildlife and Water Quality
• Beetlebanks
• Grass Strips in Arable Fields
• Water Margins in Arable Fields
• Cropped Machair

• Species-rich Grassland Management
• Water Margins in Grassland Fields
• Wader and Wildlife Mown Grassland
• Wader Grazed Grassland
• Corn Buntings Mown Grassland
• Corncrake Mown Grassland
• Corncrake Grazing Management
• Management of Cover for Corncrake
• Chough Mown Grassland
• Chough Grazing Management
• Hen Harrier Grassland Management

• Moorland Management
• Stock Disposal
• Away Wintering Sheep
• Summer Hill Grazing of Cattle
• Heath Management (Coastal, Serpentine, Lowland and Special Interest)
• Predator Control
• Wildcat Friendly Predator Control

• Wetland Management
• Lowland Bog Management
• Management of Buffer Areas for Fens and Lowland Bogs

• Management or Restoration of Hedgerows
• Creation of Hedgerows
• Habitat Mosaic Management
• Managing Scrub of Conservation Value
• Tall-herb Vegetation Management
• Ancient Wood Pasture

• Conservation Management of Small Units
• Cattle Management on Small Units

• Control of Invasive Non-native Plant Species – Primary Treatment
• Control of Invasive Non-native Plant Species – Follow-up Monitoring and Treatment
• Rhododendron Control – Manual Eradication – Light, Medium or Difficult
• Rhododendron Control – Mechanised Eradication – Light, Medium or Difficult
• Rhododendron Control – Stem Injection Eradication – Medium or Difficult
• Rhododendron Control – Foliar Spray / Treatment
• Rhododendron Control – Follow-up Treatment

• Converting Arable at Risk of Erosion or Flooding to Low-input Grassland
• Management of Floodplains
• Alternative Watering
• Coastal Embankment Breaching, Lowering or Removal
• Hard Standings for Troughs and Gateways
• Livestock Crossing
• Livestock Tracks
• Managing Steading Drainage and Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems
• Pesticide Handling Facilities
• Restoring (Protecting) River Banks
• River Embankment Breaching, Lowering or Removal
• Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems – Retention Pond
• Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems – Sediment Traps and Bunds
• Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems – Swales
• Rural Sustainable Drainage Systems – Wetland
• Water-use Efficiency – Irrigation Lagoon

• Organic Farming: Conversion
• Organic Farming: Maintenance

• Improving Public Access

All capital items