WD6: Creation of lowland wood pasture

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the creation of lowland wood pasture option. This option is now available in both the lowlands and the uplands.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
30 May 2022 — See all updates
Grant type:
Option
Land use:
Priority habitats, Uplands and Woodland
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
More than £500

How much will be paid

£544 per hectare (ha).

How long this option lasts

This option lasts for 10 years, instead of the standard 5 years for the grant scheme.

Where to use this option

It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier to create new wood pasture in the lowlands (outside the SDA) on one of the following sites:

  • arable, temporary grassland or improved permanent grassland
  • where it extends, links or buffers existing scrub, sites with open grown trees, wood pasture or priority woodland habitats

Use of this option for conversion to wood pasture from other types of woodland may be possible subject to an agreement from the Forestry Commission (FC) and Natural England (NE).

Where this option cannot be used

This option cannot be used on priority woodland habitats such as ASNW or PAWS, without the agreement of FC and NE.

Features that can be included in this option

You can include the following features if they are part of the land, even if they are not eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

  • Rivers, streams, ditches, drains and dykes or any open water less than 4 metres (m) wide
  • Ponds or inland standing water less than 100 square metres
  • Unsurfaced roads such as tracks, paths or bridleways
  • Scrub, woodland and other areas normally included in scrub or woodland options

The adviser will provide information on which features can be included.

How this option will benefit the environment

It will create new wood-pastures.

If successful there will be:

  • undisturbed standing and fallen deadwood providing habitats for invertebrates on land adjacent to that where the creation is being carried out
  • newly planted trees, spaced evenly with open crowns or patches of regeneration with space to allow open grown crowns to develop
  • open grown scrub covering 10% to 20% of the wood pasture
  • flowering trees and scrub such as hawthorn, crab apple and wild pear that will provide food and nectar sources for wildlife
  • enhanced grassland sward or heathland, grazed by traditional cattle

Requirements

To assist you achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.

You must:

  • use grazing animals or cut to maintain areas of closely grazed turf interspersed with taller tussocks
  • keep deadwood in or around standing trees, if any is present on site
  • protect trees to prevent damage from livestock and wild animals. Manage tree guards to protect any damage to growing trees
  • plant additional trees or encourage regeneration trees and scrub
  • limit use of supplementary feed

The agreement will set out what you cannot do. It is likely you will not be allowed to:

  • use pesticides, except for herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control injurious weeds, invasive non-natives, nettles, rushes or bracken
  • plough, cultivate or re-seed, except as part of an agreed sward enhancement programme
  • harrow or roll
  • apply fertilisers or manures
  • make any changes to existing drainage without having written agreement from Natural England
  • supplementary feed without agreement (except mineral blocks)

Keeping records

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

You must keep the following records and supply them on request.

  • Any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work
  • A monthly record of the number of grazing livestock in each parcel
  • Records of all management activity on the option area for each parcel, including associated invoices
  • Photographs of each tree entered into the option
  • Photographs of trees and standing and fallen deadwood
  • Photographs of the management taken
  • Maps or photographs for sites that have previously been wood pasture

The detailed requirements for this option will be tailored to the Higher Tier site. You should discuss and agree these requirements with your adviser.

The following options and supplements can be located on the same area as this option:

Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this option

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

Veterinary treatments

Avoid veterinary treatments on livestock that graze on these sites. Chemicals from these treatments could harm the insects and fungi that are typical of wood pasture.

Maintaining wood pasture

Use grazing livestock, preferably traditional breed cattle, to establish and maintain the site.

Planting new trees

Try to:

  • space out newly planted trees or regeneration so they are wide enough to grow an open crown
  • pick varieties that are suitable as eventual replacements for nearby mature and veteran trees, ideally using the same genetic stock

Read Managing trees for safety for more information about useful tree management, safety information and felling licence requirements from the Forestry Commission (FC).

Further information

Read the following guidance booklets for more information on managing wood pasture with ancient or veteran trees:

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.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 30 May 2022 + show all updates

  1. 'Where to use this option' section updated, and a new section added 'Where this option cannot be used'.

  2. 'Where to use this option' section has been updated.

  3. New payment rate from 1 January 2022.

  4. Updated to Creation of lowland wood pasture

  5. Option updated for agreements starting from 1 January 2022.

  6. Page refreshed and updated.

  7. Updated for 2017 applications.

  8. Updated information for applications in 2016.

  9. First published.

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