BE7: Supplement for restorative pruning of fruit trees

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the supplement for restorative pruning of fruit trees supplement.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
4 January 2024 — See all updates
Grant type:
Supplement
Land use:
Priority habitats, Trees (non-woodland) and Uplands
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier and Mid Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
£101 to £200

How much will be paid

£146 per tree

Where to use this supplement

It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier but only:

  • for a maximum of 3 years on an individual tree
  • on neglected fruit trees with options:
  • BE3 - Management of hedgerows (Higher Tier only)
  • BE4 - Management of traditional orchards
  • BE5 - Creation of traditional orchards (Higher Tier only)

In Mid Tier you can only use this option if it meets the relevant criteria, you have written approval from RPA, and you use it with BE4.

You can locate this supplement on the same tree as the following supplement.

How this supplement will benefit the environment

If successful there will be restored mature fruit trees with undisturbed standing and fallen deadwood providing a habitat for a wide range of invertebrates.

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.

The specified neglected fruit trees will be restored by pruning. Standing deadwood and/or dead wood on living trees will be retained.

Pruning will be carried out between October and April for apples and pears, and May to September for stone fruits.

Prohibited activities

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

  • Prune more than one-third of the woody growth in the crown of each specified tree in the specified years
  • Remove fallen or pruned wood from the orchard (unless diseased).

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:

  • remove diseased wood from the site or burn on a site at least 10 metres (m) from the crowns of any fruit trees

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.

  • Receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work
  • Photographs of trees entered into the supplement and the management undertaken

Additional guidance and advice

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

  • None

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. Option updated for agreements starting 1 January 2022

  4. The Keeping records section of this page has been updated.

  5. Updated for 2017 applications.

  6. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  7. First published.

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