HS3: Reduced-depth, non-inversion cultivation on historic and archaeological features

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the reduced-depth, non-inversion cultivation on historic and archaeological features option.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
4 January 2024 — See all updates
Grant type:
Option
Land use:
Arable land, Historic environment, Uplands
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier, Mid Tier, Offer: Arable, Offer: Mixed Farming
Funding (per unit per year):
£101 to £200

How much will be paid

£115 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier.

In Mid Tier you can use this option only:

  • on Scheduled Monuments on arable land or temporary grassland
  • with the written approval of Historic England as confirmed on your Historic Environment FER (HEFER) consultation response

In Higher Tier you can use this option:

  • on Scheduled Monuments where approved by Historic England and on historic or archaeological features identified in your HEFER

Where this option cannot be used

  • Where historic or archaeological earthworks are known to survive
  • Where soil movement or loss has been identified as a problem

You can locate these options and supplements on the same area as this option.

How this option will benefit the environment

It reduces damage to historic and archaeological features under cultivation by using non-inversion (minimum tillage) machinery and shallower cultivation depths.

Protecting historic and archaeological features will conserve the historic character of the farm and protect England’s heritage for future generations. This option may also maintain and conserve landscape character.

If successful there will be a soil surface with no evidence of:

  • erosion
  • subsoil (which indicates a deeper cultivation depth)
  • freshly disturbed archaeological remains, such as pottery, burnt flint, flint tools, animal and human bone and building stone and tile

Aims

If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

Non-inversion machinery will be used to reduce cultivation depths to no more than 15 centimetres (cm) deep.

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities.

  • Grow the following crops on the option area:
    • maize
    • lucerne
    • root and tuber crops (excluding non-harvestable root crops such as grazed fodder beet and forage turnips)
    • short rotation coppice
    • miscanthus
  • Carry out drainage works, including modifying existing drainage, without written permission before work starts
  • Locate vehicle or stock access routes within 6 metres (m) of the feature (existing surfaced tracks can be used)
  • Carry out the following field operations to deeper than 15cm:
    • tillage
    • soil management
    • planting
    • harvesting

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.

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

We recommend that you:

  • use non-inversion (minimum tillage) machinery to reduce cultivation depths

Keeping records

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

  • A map of existing tracks. You can mark these on any map, including your Farm Environment Record (FER)
  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
  • Consents or permissions connected with this work
  • Written approval for the use of the option from Historic England
  • Photographs of the management undertaken

Additional guidance and advice

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

Where earthworks survive, you should use HS9 Restricted depth crop establishment to protect archaeology under an arable rotation.

Reduce cultivation depth and compaction

You can reduce cultivation depth by:

  • raising the height of the chisel
  • using depth control chains or gauges
  • using a GPS depth controller
  • increasing the number of discs (14 discs for a 3m width instead of the usual 9)
  • using depth wheels with parallelogram mounting

You can reduce compaction by:

  • not working in wet soil conditions
  • reducing tyre pressure on vehicles travelling on the site to spread the load more evenly

Further information

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

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 4 January 2024 + show all updates

  1. Update to How Much Is Paid

  2. New payment rate from 1 January 2022.

  3. HS3 option updated

  4. The Keeping records section has been updated

  5. Updated for 2017 applications.

  6. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  7. First published.

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