SW10: Seasonal livestock removal on grassland in SDAs next to streams, rivers and lakes

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the seasonal livestock removal on grassland in SDAs next to streams, rivers and lakes option.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
26 May 2023 — See all updates
Grant type:
Option
Land use:
Biodiversity, Flood risk, Grassland, Uplands and Water quality
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier and Mid Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
Up to £100

How much will be paid

£115 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this option

  • Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier
  • Whole parcel
  • Only on grassland that meets each of the following requirements:
    • permanent grassland that drains directly into a watercourse and is prone to waterlogging, compaction or poaching, where it is important to remove livestock during the winter
    • in a severely disadvantaged area (SDA) and below the moorland line

The following options can be located on the same area as this option.

How this option will benefit the environment

Livestock will be removed at particular times of the year from fields next to a watercourse that are prone to waterlogging, compaction or poaching. This option will help improve water quality by reducing the input of nutrients and sediment to streams, rivers and lakes caused by surface runoff and the leaching of nutrients from adjacent farmland.

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.

There will be no livestock present on the parcel between the 1 October and 15 March

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits across the whole parcel, do not carry out any of the following activities:

  • None

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.

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.

  • Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
  • Stock records to show grazing activity on each parcel

You will need to send the following with your application.

  • Evidence that the parcel is prone to waterlogging, compacting or poaching and drains directly to a watercourse. The location of affected parcels can be marked on any map including the Farm Environment Record (FER)

Additional guidance and advice

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

Storing manures and moving livestock

You are recommended not to:

  • store manure on the site
  • cause soil damage on other parcels by removing livestock from the site
  • apply any fertilisers or manures from 15 August to 31 January

as doing so might breach regulations.

Biodiversity

This option 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 and Higher Tier including how to apply.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 26 May 2023 + show all updates

  1. Increase in payment rate to £115 per hectare.

  2. amendment to Prohibited activities section

  3. New payment rate from 1 January 2022.

  4. Option updated for agreements starting 1 January 2022

  5. Updated for 2017 applications.

  6. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  7. First published.

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