FG17: Deer vehicle gate

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the Deer vehicle gate option.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
9 February 2021
Last updated
7 November 2023 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Woodland
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier and Standalone capital items
Funding (per unit per year):
More than £500

How much will be paid

£749.63 per gate.

Aim

To install a deer proof vehicular gate within a deer fence to allow for ease of vehicular access and facilitate woodland management.

Where to use this item (eligibility)

  • Must be within a woodland where deer fencing is the agreed method of protection
  • This capital item can be used with Woodland Improvement (WD2), Woodland Tree Health and Woodland Creation and Maintenance applications
  • Appropriate protection measures will be agreed with a Forestry Commission Woodland Officer. Where a deer fence is used additional payments will not be made for tree shelters within the fenced area. Vehicular deer gates cannot be used with a temporary deer fence.

Where this item cannot be used

Where deer fencing is not an appropriate protection measure.

How this item will benefit the environment

Protects trees from deer browsing and damage and helps facilitates deer management.

Requirement

Meet the fence specifications as set out below and in the Forestry Commission’s Technical Guide ‘Forest Fencing 2006’.

The gate must be a minimum of 3.0 metres (m) wide. Do not use the hanging posts as an end strainer. Hanging post dimensions must be a minimum of 2.8m x 120 to 180 millimetres (mm) diameter for Red/Sika/Fallow deer, or 2.8m x 100 to 130mm for Roe and Muntjac.

Install hanging posts following the Forest Fencing guide ensuring they are suitably compacted. Maker sure there are no gaps at the bottom of the gate that are wider than the mesh sizes as stated the Forest Fencing guide.

Maintain the gates so that deer cannot enter the land until the trees are large enough that they no longer need to be protected.

Specifications for the height of the gate and the size of the mesh: minimum gate height (m) and maximum mesh size (mm) vary by deer species.

  • Red and Sika 1.8m, 200mm by 300mm
  • Fallow 1.8m, 200mm by 220mm
  • Roe 1.5m, 200mm by 150mm
  • Muntjac 1.5m, 80mm by 80m

Wooden wings for gates

Wooden wings can be used to make sure the deer proof width of the gates where necessary, for example where a gateway is adjacent to a ditch. These are only likely to be necessary where they are already a feature of the landscape. Each wing must consist of rails or fencing mesh to meet the standard as per the Forest Fencing guide. Gates are to be installed at the same time as the deer fence and prior to tree planting taking place.

Keeping records

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

  • Receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • Any consents or permissions connected with the work

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Higher Tier or Woodland grants guidance for more detail. You can find the latest guidance at Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage.

Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this item

Please contact your local Forestry Commission Woodland Officer.

Updates to this page

Published 9 February 2021
Last updated 7 November 2023 + show all updates

  1. Removal of text confirming FG17 Deer vehicle gate availability under Countryside Stewardship Capital Grants (SFI pilot), as the SFI Capital offer is no longer available.

  2. 'Where to use this item' section updated to include detail on SFI pilot.

  3. First published.

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