Rural Payments and Services

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The aim of this option is to maintain, enhance or extend areas of native scrub by supporting appropriate grazing and management.

Restricting or removing grazing pressure from both wild and domestic herbivores at certain times of the year will help maintain a balance between the native scrub and open areas.

This will benefit the associated wildlife, help protect soils and assist in storing carbon.

For montane scrub

Rough grazing with montane scrub is eligible.

This can include land suitable for expansion of these habitats, or other land which requires to be included in enclosures for practical fencing reasons.

For non-montane scrub

Any land with scrub that includes at least one of the following species is eligible:

• juniper
• Atlantic hazel
• alder
• hawthorn
• blackthorn
• willow (Salix cinerea, S. aurita, S. phylicifolia)
• downy birch

This can include land suitable for expansion of these habitats.

This option is available throughout Scotland.

You must identify on a map the location of the area to be managed.

You must manage the same area each year for the duration of your contract. The area will comprise a single parcel, and may be fenced off from a larger area.

For montane scrub

• you must exclude all grazing

For non-montane scrub

You must either:

• exclude livestock or adhere to an approved grazing regime defining the livestock units and dates
• you must not coppice hazel in Atlantic hazel woods

For both

• do not carry out supplementary livestock feeding in the area subject to payment
• 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 remove any invasive non-native species present such as rhododendron
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim £74.16 per hectare per year.

There are separate capital items to support management of scrub of conservation value:

• Small-scale Tree and Shrub Planting
• 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

The inspectors will check:

• you have managed the same area each year for the duration of your contract.

For montane scrub

• you have excluded all grazing

For non-montane scrub

You have either:

• excluded livestock or adhered to an approved grazing regime defining the livestock units and dates
• you have not coppiced hazel in Atlantic hazel woods

For both

• you have not carried out supplementary livestock feeding in the area subject to payment
• you have not sprayed, unless with prior written notification or approval as appropriate
• you have removed any invasive non-native species present such as rhododendron
• you have maintained a diary

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

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