Guidance

Annex 4: Applying for the Higher Tier Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Packages

Published 25 February 2021

Applies to England

The Higher Tier Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package (WPFWP) groups selected management options together. These options help you to provide farmland wildlife with the essential resources they need to thrive and breed successfully.

If you include the WPFWP in your application, it will increase your application’s score. Applications with a higher score are more likely to be offered an agreement.

1. Benefits for wildlife

A Higher Tier WPFWP will help you to support your local wildlife, including:

• wild pollinators - such as solitary bees and bumble bees
• farmland birds - such as grey partridge, skylark and yellowhammer
• other farmland wildlife - such as rare arable plants, great crested newts, bats and brown hare.

2. How it works

The package focuses on the farmed land on your holding and includes a range of management options. These options help you to provide essential resources for wildlife.

• Essential Resource 1: Nectar and pollen sources for insect pollinators and insect-rich foraging for birds
• Essential Resource 2: Nesting, hibernation and shelter for insect pollinators and birds
• Essential Resource 3: Winter food for seed-eating birds.

You can read the details of these options in Table 1. You can also choose from the list of additional options in Table 2. Choosing more options is usually better for wildlife because you will provide a greater range of habitats and food/nesting resources. As with all Higher Tier, you must meet the management requirements for each of the options you choose.

Section 4.2 sets out the support that is available when choosing options. The minimum requirements for the package are as follows:

• you must meet the minimum requirements for each of the essential resource categories. These are expressed in hectares (or in metres for the hedge and ditch options)
• make sure that the area covered by the package options is at least 5% of the total area of farmed land included in your application. Depending on the options you choose you may be required to commit more than 5%.

You can add a range of other management options and capital items in addition to your WPFWP package with Higher Tier.

3. Who can apply for Higher Tier WPFWP

You must meet one of the following criteria to be considered for the Higher Tier WPFWP:

1. Have an Environmental Stewardship agreement that is coming to an end. Your agreement must have included management options that focused on farmed wildlife. Your agreement must have been successful based on the quality of options delivered and/or evidence of biological responses by key farmland species.
2. Have a holding that meets the qualifying criteria for range-restricted farmland bird assemblages and/or wild bee species. You should check your holding on Magic maps on the MAGIC website. To qualify, your holding must be partly or wholly located in tetrad (2 x 2 kilometres recording square) that supports one or both of the following.

• 3 of the 6 range-restricted farmland bird assemblages
• 7 of the 13 wild bee species associated with the wider countryside.

4. Scoring and the WPFWP

If you meet the minimum requirements of the WPFWP, your application score will automatically receive an increase.

You can read information on scoring in Annex 3.

5. Eligible land

The WPFWP can only be located on BPS declared arable land, temporary grassland and permanent grassland. All other land uses are excluded from this package. You must also meet the eligibility criteria for the Higher Tier. Read Section 3.

6. Tools to help you decide how much land to include

You can use the information in the tables on the following pages to make your calculations.

• Not all land needs to be included in your application for WPFWP, it can cover either the whole or part of your farm.
• You must meet the minimum requirements of the package.
• You can choose to include more land than the minimum in your application.

7. Maximise the benefit for farmed wildlife

To increase the impact of the WPFWP package:

• choose more options and spread the location of the options across the farm
• select both legume and perennial flower-based mixes as these will provide nectar and pollen sources for a longer period of time over the summer and autumn
• spread options delivering nectar and pollen across the farm, so that it benefits as many wild pollinators and birds as possible
• choose the hedgerow management option. Well-managed hedgerows can provide valuable spring foraging for wild pollinators, as well as good nesting habitat for birds
• create a mixture of habitats, from tussocky, uncut grass to areas of warm, dry, bare ground that remain undisturbed for the breeding cycle. These will provide wild pollinators and farmland birds places to nest and, shelter and overwinter/hibernation areas for pollinators
• provide both annual and biennial wild bird seed mixes as they will benefit a broader range of farmland birds
• place skylark plots over some/all of the area of winter cereal crops
• stubble works best if the preceding crop is barley and spring- sown.
• consider selecting one or more additional options to focus on particular species or features
• you can find some typical option combinations for arable, pastoral and mixed farms in Table 3.

8. How to build a Higher Tier Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package

1. Work out the area of land that is eligible and decide how much to include in your application.
2. Use Table 1 below to choose your options. You must choose options that meet the minimum requirements for each Essential Resource.
3. Make sure that you manage any Scheduled Monuments appropriately
4. Choose how many hectares you want to enter into each option (how many metres for hedgerows and ditches). You must meet the minimum requirements for each Essential Resource.
5. Generally choosing more options is better for farmed wildlife. Consider whether you can include more than the minimum requirements. You may wish to include additional options from Table 2.
6. Check carefully that you have met the minimum requirements of the package. You can use the information in the tables below to make your calculations.
7. Fill in your Higher Tier application form as set out in Section 4, adding in any other options and capital items that you wish to apply for.

9. Using the Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package tables

Read the guidance above to understand how the package works. There is a table below for each of the Essential Resources, and a table for additional options.

The minimum and maximum amounts of each resource (for 100 hectares of eligible land) are given in the tables. You should adjust these on a ‘pro rata’ basis. For example, if you have 250 hectares of eligible land, then multiply the quantities by 2.5.

9.1 Table 1: Essential resources to be provided in every Higher Tier Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package agreement

Essential resource 1: Nectar and pollen sources for insect pollinators and insect-rich foraging for birds.

You must meet the minimum quantity for BOTH spring flowering AND summer/autumn flowering.

A – Spring Flowering

The following options can be used on their own or in combination to achieve the minimum. Example combination – 250m of BE3 and 0.25ha of AB11.

Option	Minimum quantity per 100 hectares
BE3 Management of hedgerows	500m
WT3 Management of ditches of high environmental value	500m
WT1 Buffering in-field ponds and ditches in improved grassland	0.5ha
WT2 Buffering in-field ponds and ditches on arable land	0.5ha
WD3 Woodland edges on arable land	0.5ha
AB11 Cultivated areas for arable plants (autumn- cultivated only)	0.5ha

B – Summer/Autumn Flowering

The following options can be used on their own or in combination to achieve the minimum. Example combination – 0.5ha each of AB1, AB8 and AB11.

Option	Minimum quantity per 100 hectare
AB1 Nectar flower mix	1.5ha
AB8 Flower-rich margins and plots	1.5ha
AB11 Cultivated areas for arable plants	1.5ha
AB15 Two-year sown legume fallow	1.5ha
AB16 Autumn sown bumblebird mix	1.5ha
GS4 Legume and herb-rich swards (or OP4 Multi- species ley)	1.5ha

Essential resource 2: Nesting, hibernation and sheltering habitat for insect pollinators and birds.

You must choose at least one of the following options to meet the minimum quantity.

Option	Minimum quantity per 100 ha
SW1 4-6m buffer strip on cultivated land	1ha
SW4 12-24 m watercourse buffer strip on cultivated land AB3 Beetle banks	1ha
AB5 Nesting plots for lapwing and stone curlew	1ha
AB11 Cultivated areas for arable plants	1ha
AB14 Harvested low input cereal	1ha
GS1 Take field corners out of management (outside SDA)	1ha
GS13 Management of grassland for target features	1ha
GS17 Lenient grazing supplement	1ha

Essential resource 3: Winter food for seed-eating birds.

You can choose to deliver this option through:

AB9 Winter bird food (or OP2 Wild bird seed mixture) – minimum quantity per 100ha = 2ha.

Or

You can combine AB9 Winter bird food (or OP2 Wild bird seed mixture) – minimum quantity per 100 ha = 1ha with one of the options below. This is based on the following formula:

1ha of AB9/OP2, AB10 or GS3 = 2.5ha of AB6/AB13 = 5ha of AB2/OP1/AB7.

Option	Minimum quantity per 100 hectares
AB10 Unharvested cereal headland	1ha
GS3 Ryegrass seed-set as winter/spring food for birds	1ha
AB6 Enhanced overwinter stubble	2.5ha
AB13 Brassica fodder crops	2.5ha
AB16 Autumn sown bumblebird mix	2.5ha
AB2 Basic overwinter stubble (or OP1 Overwintered stubble)	5ha
AB7 Whole crop cereals	5ha
A mix of AB2 and AB7	5ha in total

9.2 Table 2: Additional options focussing on specific species or features on the holding that may require management

The options below are voluntary. You can use them to help you to manage specific species on your holding. You can improve your application overall by adding these options.

Species or feature requiring management:	Select one or more of the following options:
In-field trees	BE1 Protection of in-field trees on arable land BE2 Protection of in-field trees on intensive grassland
Ponds	WT4 Management of ponds of high wildlife value (100 square metres or less) WT5 Management of ponds of high wildlife value (more than 100 square metres)
Supplementary food for seed- eating birds	AB12 Supplementary winter feeding for farmland birds (or OP3 Supplementary feeding for farmland birds)
In-field breeding habitats for skylarks in landscapes dominated by winter cereals	AB4 Skylark plots
Traditional orchards	BE4 Management of traditional orchards
Nest/roost boxes for insects, tree sparrows and bats	WB1 Small wildlife box WB2 Medium wildlife box WB3 Large wildlife box (all are capital items)

9.3 Table 3: Example Higher Tier Wild Pollinator and Farm Wildlife Package option combinations for different holding scenarios

Holding scenario 1

Arable holding on medium–heavy land (all winter cropping) with good hedgerows. Coming out of an HLS agreement that was effectively delivering the HLS Farmland Bird package and is within 3/6 farmland bird tetrad.

Criteria (plus additional priorities) - meets both criteria A and B (No bespoke species present but within an area of high ELS/Mid Tier uptake).

The percentage of farmed land covered by options for this scenario is 4.5%.

The total value of the agreement per annum per 100ha of farmed land entered into the agreement for this scenario is Total cost pa = £3,285.50

Notes:

• 100m of extra hedgerow negotiated
• Flower-rich margins, nectar mix and buffer strips should be spread around the holding, adjacent to managed hedgerows where possible
• Winter bird food should be a mix of annual and biennial mixtures

Options (areas are per 100 hectares of farmed land entered into the agreement)	Rate (£) per annum	Essential resources – Food/fuel and insect food	Essential resources – Nesting	Essential resources – Winter bird food	Additional options
1500m BE3 Management of hedgerows of high environmental value (both sides)	240	spring	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
0.5ha AB8 Flower rich margins and plots	539	Summer/ autumn	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
1ha AB1 Nectar flower mix	511	Summer/ autumn	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
1ha SW1 4-6m buffer strip on cultivated land	353	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
2ha AB9 Winter bird food	1280	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable
AB12 supplementary feeding on 2ha of Winter bird food	632	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes

Holding scenario 2

Mixed holding on light soil which retains some spring cropping and unimproved grassland, but with no decent hedgerows. Coming out of an HLS agreement that was effectively delivering the HLS Farmland Bird package, including fallow plots which support breeding lapwing, and is within 3/6 farmland bird tetrad.

Criteria (plus additional priorities) - meets both criteria A and B (Lapwing present and there is a small area of decent unimproved grassland).

The percentage of farmed land covered by options for this scenario is 10% of arable although 5ha as stubble still in production with spring cropping; plus 1% of grassland (but still productive).

The total value of the agreement per annum per 100 ha of farmed land entered into the agreement for this scenario is Total cost pa = £3,561.00

Notes:

• Cultivated plots are autumn-sown
• Cultivated arable plant plots, fallow plots and grassland provide multiple nesting opportunities for pollinators
• Lapwing nesting plots should, ideally, be located near to unimproved grassland (provided arable fields are suitable)

Options (areas are per 100 hectares of farmed land entered into the agreement)	Rate (£) per annum	Essential resources – Food/fuel and insect food	Essential resources – Nesting	Essential resources – Winter bird food	Additional options
1ha AB1 Nectar Flower mix	511	summer/ autumn	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
0.5ha AB11 Cultivated areas for arable plants	266	spring	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
0.5ha AB8 Flower rich margins and plots	270	summer/ autumn	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
1ha AB9 Winter Bird Food	640	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable
5ha AB2 Basic overwinter stubble	420	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable
AB12 supplementary feeding on 1ha of Winter bird food	316	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes
2ha AB5 Nesting plots for lapwing and stone curlew	1048	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
1ha GS13 Management of grassland for target features	90	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable

Holding scenario 3

A 100% grass holding that has some fields cut for silage and some high quality hedgerows and ponds, and areas of semi/unimproved grassland. Within 7/13 pollinator tetrad.

Criteria (plus additional priorities) - meets criteria B. (Decent unimproved grassland, bats present and has several decent ponds.)

The percentage of farmed land covered by options for this scenario is 5.5% of grassland, but only 0.5% taken completely out of production (as field corners). Only 3.5% if rye-grass seed-set option is not used (read ‘Notes’).

The total value of the agreement per annum per 100ha of farmed land entered into the agreement for this scenario is Total cost pa = £1,817.00 extra hedgerow and pond buffering negotiated.

Notes:

Rye grass set-seed option could be removed on farms outside of farmland bird target areas.

Options (areas are per 100 hectares of farmed land entered into the agreement)	Rate (£) per annum	Essential resources – Food/fuel and insect food	Essential resources – Nesting	Essential resources – Winter bird food	Additional options
1000m BE3 Management of hedgerows of high environmental value (both sides)	160	spring	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
1.5ha GS4 Legume and herb-rich swards	463.5	summer/ autumn	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
1 WT4 Maintenance of ponds of high wildlife value <100 sq m	103	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes
1ha of WT1 Buffering in-field ponds on improved grassland	201	spring	Not applicable	Not applicable	Not applicable
0.5ha GS1 Take field corners out of management (outside SDA)	182.5	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
0.5ha GS13 Management of grassland for target features	45	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable	Not applicable
2ha GS3 Ryegrass seed- set as winter/ spring food for birds	662	Not applicable	Not applicable	Yes	Not applicable