SP3: Bracken control supplement

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the bracken control supplement.

• From: Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
• Published: 2 April 2015
• Last updated: 23 October 2024 — See all updates

• Grant type: Supplement
• Land use: Biodiversity, Priority habitats, Uplands and Vegetation control
• Tiers or standalone items: Higher Tier
• Funding (per unit per year): £201 to £300

How much will be paid

£232 per hectare (ha).

Where to use this supplement

Available for Higher Tier

Whole and part-parcel

Only in combination with a land management option. The most common such options include:

• LH1 - Management of lowland heathland
• LH2 - Restoration of forestry and woodland to lowland heathland
• LH3 - Creation of heathland from arable or improved grassland
• UP1 - Enclosed rough grazing
• UP2 - Management of rough grazing for birds
• UP3 - Management of moorland

This supplement can also be used to control bracken on other options, such as on dry grassland, woodland or sand dunes.

Where this supplement cannot be used

On the same area in the same year as the bracken control capital items:

• SB4 - Chemical bracken control
• SB5 - Mechanical bracken control

This supplement would normally be used in subsequent years, as a follow-up to these items.

How this supplement will benefit the environment

It controls the spread of, or removes, existing dense stands of bracken. This will maintain or restore biodiversity value and protect archaeological sites.

If successful the underlying vegetation will develop and spread, and will develop a diverse mosaic structure and composition, including undisturbed bare ground and varied vegetation types.

Successfully managing the remaining vegetation (usually by grazing or cutting) will reduce the chances of bracken spreading back. Locally characteristic plant communities and the species they support will expand or even colonise the site.

Requirements

Agreement holders are likely to need to:

• control bracken so that cover is reduced to a set proportion by a set date
• only carry out chemical control on specifically identified areas
• use temporary grazing controls to protect vegetation regeneration
• graze to break up litter beds and damage young fronds to offer extra bracken control
• control any re-infestation during the term of the agreement
• carry out specific follow up cutting or grazing management tailored to their site

Keeping records

Agreement holders will need to keep the following records and supply them on request:

• stock records to show grazing activity on parcels
• consents or permissions connected with this work
• field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you haven’t carried out any activities prohibited by the option requirements.

Applicants will need to send the following with their application:

• a map of the extent of bracken - this can be marked on any map including the Farm Environment Record (FER)

The detailed requirements for this supplement will be tailored to the Higher Tier site. Applicants should discuss and agree these requirements with their adviser.

Related supplements

This supplement can be located on the same area as the following supplements:

• UP6 - Upland livestock exclusion supplement
• WD9 - Livestock exclusion supplement - scrub and successional areas
• SP1 - Difficult sites supplement
• SP5 - Shepherding supplement
• SP6 - Cattle grazing supplement
• SP7 - Introduction of cattle grazing on the Isles of Scilly
• SP8 - Native breeds at risk supplement
• SP9 - Threatened species supplement

Biodiversity

This supplement has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holding’s situation and potential.

The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Higher Tier including how to apply.

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 23 October 2024 + show all updates

1. 23 October 2024

   Sentence removed 'Before applying, the applicant should get Environment Agency’s consent if this is within a water catchment area. You do not need to provide these with your application, but you will need to submit any that are required with your payment claim'.

2. 18 December 2023

   Update to How Much Is Paid

3. 8 February 2022

   New payment rate from 1 January 2022.

4. 8 March 2017

   Updated for 2017 applications.

5. 29 March 2016

   Information updated for applications in 2016.

6. 2 April 2015

   First published.