Option 24 - Natural regeneration after cereals
What this is about
This option aims to encourage the practice of leaving areas of stubble after harvesting of winter cereals and allowing it to regenerate naturally providing winter food, foraging and nesting habitat for ground-nesting birds.
What this will achieve
This will provide forage and nesting habitats for birds and invertebrates for an entire cropping year using natural regeneration.
Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that may benefit include grey partridge, skylark, tree sparrow, lapwing and corn bunting. The unsprayed stubble and undisturbed cover are also beneficial habitats for brown hare, various arable plants and will provide foraging and wintering habitats for invertebrates.
What you must do
Requirements
- retain stubbles from your harvest of winter cereals and leave areas uncropped to naturally regenerate and produce rough fallow conditions to provide cover and food for birds until the end of August of the following year
- once you have harvested you must not graze, plough or cultivate the area of stubble or subsequent natural regeneration until after 31 August of the following year
- after harvest you must not apply fertilisers, slurry or farmyard manure to the site, or pesticides wihout the prior written agreement of Scottish Ministers for activities such as spot treatment of injurious weeds (common ragwort, spear thistle, creeping or field thistle, curled dock or broadleaved dock) or control of non-native invasive species (e.g. giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, rhododendron ponticum and Japanese knotweed)
- you can change the location of the plots. However, you must maintain the same number of hectares for the duration of your 5 year commitment.
If plots are not rotated you must either
- cut the area at least once every 2 years in early autumn to a minimum sward height of 10 cm, and remove the cuttings to help prevent the establishment of rank vegetation, or
- leave the area uncut if conservation benefits are expected to result, for example to barn owls and small mammals. In such cases, you should set out your conservation objectives in a brief plan which must be retained and made available for inspection.
Who can apply
All land managers are eligible to apply for this option.
How to apply
Complete Section 3 of the LMO application form and columns L and M of your SAF Data Sheet using code LMONRC.
Eligibility criteria
This option is available on arable land.
Land receiving payments for similar management under other agri-environment schemes or LMO option 17, Retention of winter stubbles is not eligible under this option.
This option cannot be adopted on an area of land which is receiving payment under the Organic Aid Scheme (conversion or maintenance), the Rural Priorities Conversion to and maintenance of organic farming options or LMO option 25, Maintenance of organic farming.
Rate of support
This is a 5 year commitment. We will pay £406 per hectare per year. We will pay at the end of each year.
Inspections/Verification
The inspector will check the requirements of the option are being met (as detailed above under 'What you must do') by a visual assessment on the day of inspection.
You must comply with the requirements of cross compliance and the minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products and you must avoid damaging or destroying any historic or archaeological features or areas.