FG4: Rabbit fencing supplement

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the rabbit fencing supplement.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
6 November 2023 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Air quality, Biodiversity, Grassland, Livestock management, Priority habitats, Uplands, Water quality, Woodland
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier, Standalone capital items
Funding (per unit per year):
Up to £100

How much will be paid

£5.65 per metre (m).

Where to use this supplement

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants but only with:

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Woodland Tree Health Grant with:

How the item will benefit the environment

This item helps control rabbits, protects environmental features and helps to manage habitats.

Requirements

You must:

  • use galvanised, 18 gauge, 31 millimetre (mm) hexagonal wire mesh to construct the rabbit fence
  • attach the netting to a pair of 2.65mm, high tensile, spring steel straining wires using galvanised netting rings
  • make sure there is one straining wires at the bottom of the fence and one at the top
  • bury the bottom edge of the netting to a depth of 150mm, or lap the netting on the surface of the ground towards the rabbit threat
  • anchor lapped netting at 1m intervals
  • make sure that all the materials meet the relevant British Standards - see copies of the most up-to-date standards for guidance

Keeping records

You must keep the following records and supply them with your payment claim:

  • photographs of the completed work

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

  • any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • photographs of the existing site before work starts

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Mid Tier, Higher Tier or Capital 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 supplement

The following advice is helpful, but it is not a requirement for this item.

Use this supplement on a site where there is evidence of damage caused by rabbits, such as significant burrowing or crop damage.

Biodiversity

This item 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 Mid Tier, Higher Tier and Capital Grants including how to apply.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 6 November 2023 + show all updates

  1. Removal of text confirming FG4 Rabbit fencing supplement 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. 'Air quality' added to Land use.

  4. Added in links to Capital Grants manual as this option is now available for Capital Grants

  5. Page updated to show latest record keeping

  6. Capital item now includes woodland.

  7. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  8. First published.

Contents

Related content