Introduction
A - Species Rich Grassland for wildlife
The aim of this Option is to convert arable land or restore improved or semi-improved lowland/inbye grassland to species-rich grassland by restricting agricultural activity.
B - Species Rich grassland for bees, moths and butterflies
The aim of this option is to convert arable land or restore improved or semi-improved grassland, to increase the diversity of flowering plants providing nest sites, nectar and high quality pollen particularly for bumblebees, other bees, butterflies, moths and other invertebrates.
What this will achieve
This Option will increase the diversity of flowering plants and other species to create a habitat and feeding area for a variety of invertebrates, birds and mammals.
The Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that may benefit include Nightjar, Skylark, Marsh Fritillary, Pearl-bordered Fritillary and Great Yellow Bumblebee, Northern Brown Argus and Narrow-bordered Bee Hawk-moth. Other species which may benefit include the Moss Carder Bee, Red-Shanked Carder Bee, Slender Scotch Burnet and Forester Moth.
What you can do
Requirements
To create a new grassland sward from arable or improved grassland you must:
- destroy any existing grassland cover and carry out an agreed programme to establish a new sward. This may include measures to reduce the fertility of the soil and address weed problems. When destroying existing cover on an archaeological cropmark site, ploughing and cultivation depth must not exceed 150mm
- sow the site with a low productivity grass and herb mix agreed with Scottish Ministers to create a new sward
To restore an existing semi-improved grassland sward you must:
- create a short sward through cutting or grazing
- create small patches of bare ground which add up to 50% of the area, through raking, harrowing or scarifying
- Sow a low productivity grass and herb mix agreed with the Scottish Ministers on the bare patches.
In all cases:
- Sow seeds of local origin wherever possible. Seed mixes are described below.
- A livestock management and grazing regime must be set out in a grazing plan to be agreed with Scottish Ministers.
- Do not apply fertiliser, slurry or farmyard manure to the site. Pesticides must not be applied to the managed area except with the prior written agreement of Scottish Ministers for activities such as spot treatment of scheduled weeds (i.e. creeping, spear or field thistle, curled or broadleaved dock and common ragwort) or non-native invasive species (i.e. Giant hogweed, Himalayan balsam, Rhododendron ponticum or Japanese knotweed).
- Do not carry out supplementary feeding on the site.
For Management of Species Rich Grassland for Wildlife:
For Management of Species Rich Grassland for Bees, Butterflies and Moths:
Grazing levels between June and August must be light; the aim is to maintain an uneven patchwork of short and tall vegetation between 5 and 25 cm with plenty of flowering heads.
Leave at least 15% of the field uncut to allow a taller and tussocky grassy sward to develop for overwintering invertebrates, nesting bees and feeding caterpillars. Rotate this area annually in order to prevent the development of rank grassland.
The sward must not be cut before 1st September in areas where Great Yellow bumblebee is a priority. In other areas, it must not be cut before 15th August.
Grasslands that are suitable for the restoration Option will still have some diversity of grasses and flowers. There must be at least three indicator species of potential for restoration from the following list of key plants:
Yarrow (Achillea millefolium),
Lady's Smock (Cardamine praetensis),
Marsh Thistle (Cirsium palustre),
Tufted Hair-grass (Deschampsia cespitosa),
Wavy Hair-grass (Deschampsia flexuosa),
Cat's-ear (Hypochaeris radicata),
Wood-rush (Luzula spp.),
Black Medick (Medicago lupulina),
Selfheal (Prunella vulgaris),
Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa),
Gorse (Ulex europaeus),
Germander Speedwell (Veronica chamaedrys).
Seed mix for Species Rich Grassland for Wildlife
- Sow a mixture of native grasses and wildflowers. At least 15% of the mixture by weight must be seed of herbs and no more than 85% non-aggressive fine-leaved grasses.
Seed mix for Species Rich Grassland for Bees, Butterflies, Moths and other invertebrates
- Sow a seed mixture of native grasses and wildflowers. At least 15% of the mixture by weight must be seed of herbs and no more than 85% non-aggressive fine-leaved grasses. At least half the herb seed (by weight) must consist of the following species: Red Clover, Tufted Vetch, Bird's Foot Trefoil, Yellow Rattle, Meadow Vetchling, Selfheal and Common Knapweed. In addition, Red Clover seed must constitute at least 2% of the total seed mix.
For both options, the following species are recommended to fulfil the requirement of 15% by weight:
- Greater Knapweed, Field Scabious, Devil's Bit Scabious, Kidney Vetch, Meadow Cranesbill, Perforate St. John's Wort, Lady's Bedstraw, Yarrow, Common Rockrose, Common Sorrel and Ox-Eye Daisy.
Who can apply
All land managers are eligible to apply for this management Option
Eligibility Criteria
Land receiving payments for similar management under other agri-environment schemes is not eligible under this option.
Please see the Definitions of Land Types page for more details.
What costs could be supported
Support will also be available toward the cost of certain associated Capital Items. For a comprehensive list of Capital Items click here. Any cost claimed must be fully justified. The following are examples of what may be claimed:
When completing your Proposal, you can select the appropriate capital item(s) from the dropdown list of standard cost capital items for this Option.
In addition to the above capital items, financial support of up to 100% of eligible actual costs is available in respect of the following:
Please note that these capital items will not appear in the dropdown list of Standard Cost capital items for this Option and will need to be entered manually in the box for Actual Cost capital items. Only costs for the types of capital works listed above should be entered in the Actual Cost capital items box for this Option. Any other costs entered cannot be considered for funding.
To ensure value for money we require you to provide 2 competitive quotes for any capital items applied for which are based on actual cost. If, however, you are seeking grant support towards something so specialised it is only available through 1 source then we would accept 1 quote. Please see the guidance on quotes and estimates for more information.
Rate of support
This is a 5 year commitment. The management must be carried out in each year of your commitment. We will pay you £223.57 per year per hectare at the end of each year of your commitment. Where management under this option occurs on archaeological crop mark sites, we will pay you a payment rate of £245.57 per year per hectare at the end of each year of your commitment.
Inspections/verification
The inspector will check the requirements (as detailed above under 'what you can do') of the Option are being met, by a visual assessment on the day of inspection.
Beneficiaries must comply with the requirements of cross compliance, minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products. You must also comply with the requirements to avoid damaging any features of historic or archaeological interest, and follow Scottish Ministers' guidance for the protection of such areas or features (detailed in links below).
The following is a brief overview of the inspection procedures, for a full explanation please see links below:
Inspectors will check:
- For creation compliance with the agreed programme to establish a new sward
- Agreed grass and herb mix has been sown and is of local origin where possible
- Compliance with management requirements listed under What You Can Do
- Compliance with agreed livestock management and grazing plan
- Land under Creation is arable or improved
- Land to be restored is semi-improved in-bye grassland which contains at least three of the indicator species listed under What You Can Do
- Claimed capital items have been completed to approved amounts and scheme standards
List of links to relevant technical guidance
Minimum requirements for Fertiliser and Plant Protection Products - detailed guidance
Minimum requirements for protection of historic or archaeological features
'On the spot' inspections - overview of the inspection procedure