Understand the best management and grazing actions for your moorland
Published 5 August 2024
Applies to England
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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/moorland-mapping-pa5-complete-your-record/understand-the-best-management-and-grazing-actions-for-your-moorland
Use your completed moorland mapping record with this guidance to find suggested management for your moorland.
This is guidance only, each moorland is unique, and management requirements will vary for each site.
If your moorland is a combination of different habitats or features (a mosaic), you should consider getting expert advice on how to manage all the habitats effectively.
Livestock density for grazing
To work out the appropriate number of livestock to graze on your moorland, you will need to convert the number of livestock into grazing livestock units (GLU) using this table.
Livestock density is the number of GLU per hectare (ha) on your moorland.
| Livestock type | Grazing livestock units (GLU) |
|---|---|
| 1 x cattle over 2 years old | 1.0 |
| 1 x cattle between 6 months to 2 years old | 0.6 |
| 1 x heavy sheep (most lowland sheep, rams and larger hill sheep) | 0.12 |
| 1 x light sheep (store lambs and small hill sheep) | 0.08 |
| 1 x goat | 0.12 |
| 1 x pony or donkey | 0.8 |
| 1 x horse | 1.0 |
When considering the most appropriate SFI action for livestock density, the livestock density across the moorland must not exceed the relevant grazing livestock units (GLU) per ha at any time.
Sites of special scientific interest (SSSI)
Before you apply for other actions for moorland on SSSI land, you should speak to Natural England to check if your proposed activities are appropriate for the site and if they’re likely to be given consent.
Other Funding for your moorland
You can apply for a PA2: feasibility study to plan how you can restore your moorland through:
- rewetting your peatland
- natural flood management
This study can be used to inform your future revenue and capital funding applications, for example WN1: Grip blocking drainage channels and FM2: Major preparatory works for priority habitats (creation and restoration) and priority species.
Peatland habitats
Maintaining waterlogged conditions is important for the development of peatland vegetation.
These habitats do not need to be grazed and should not be burned. Burning can:
- reduce the number of species
- damage the underlying peat
- reduce the quality of raw water coming off the hills
- release carbon into the atmosphere or streams and channels coming off the peat
Avoid using vehicles on peatlands. Vehicle tracks can:
- damage the vegetation and surface of the peat
- act as drainage channels, leading to flooding and erosion
Blanket bog
Blanket bog dominated by heather or grass is in poor condition. You should consider restoring the peat through rewetting.
Grazing management
Blanket bog in good condition does not require grazing. A limited livestock density of less than 0.04GLU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 6 months during the autumn and winter is likely to be beneficial, particularly when grazing cattle and ponies. This is to minimise damage to peat surface and structure and overgrazing of dwarf shrub.
Wet heath
Wet heath dominated by heather or grass is in poor condition. You should consider restoring the peat through rewetting.
Grazing management
Wet heath in good condition requires light seasonal grazing in spring and summer. This will keep the habitat open without negatively effecting the vegetation and water systems. A limited livestock density of less than 0.04GLU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 6 months during the autumn and winter is likely to be beneficial, particularly when grazing cattle and ponies. This is to minimise damage to peat surface and structure and overgrazing of dwarf shrub.
Upland flushes, fens and swamps
Grazing management
Upland flushes, fens and swamps in good condition require light seasonal grazing in spring and summer. This will keep the habitat open without negatively effecting the vegetation and water systems. A limited livestock density of less than 0.04GLU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 6 months during the autumn and winter is likely to be beneficial, particularly when grazing cattle and ponies. This is to minimise damage to peat surface and structure and overgrazing of vegetation.
SFI moorland actions which are likely to be suitable for your peatland habitats
| SFI action code | Action |
|---|---|
| UPL3 | UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland - action to graze up to 0.04 grazing livestock units per hectare (GLU/ha) |
| UPL4 | UPL4: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 30% GLU) - action for at least 30% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL5 | UPL5: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 70% GLU) - action for at least 70% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL6 | UPL6: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (100% GLU) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)- action for 100% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL9 | UPL9: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 6 months) - action to remove stock for at least 6 months |
| UPL10 | UPL10: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) - action to remove stock for at least 8 months |
Heathland habitats
Maintaining species diversity and vegetation structure is important for heathland habitats.
Burning heathland can:
- reduce the number of species
- reduce the quality of raw water coming off the hills
- release carbon into the atmosphere or streams and channels coming off the heathland
An alternative to burning is the use of cutting.
Take care when using vehicles and machinery on heathland. Vehicle tracks can:
- lead to localised loss of habitat
- increase drainage water moving off the moor at times of high rainfall
Dry heath
Grazing management
Low grazing is most beneficial for dry heath in good condition. A livestock density less than 0.08GLU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 4 months during the autumn and winter is likely to be beneficial, particularly when grazing sheep. This is to limit overgrazing on dwarf shrub and prevent fragmentation of the heath habitat.
Low grazing with cattle or ponies is recommended because they graze less selectively than sheep, contributing to species diversity and vegetation structure.
Fragmented heath
You should aim to restore fragmented heath by increasing the dwarf shrub cover.
Grazing management
Limit grazing on fragmented heath as much as possible to allow the dwarf shrub cover to increase.. A limited livestock density of less than 0.04GLU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 6 months during the autumn and winter is likely to be beneficial, particularly when grazing sheep.
Shepherd stock away from these areas as much as possible.
Mountain heath and willow scrub
Grazing management
This habitat does not require grazing to maintain it in good condition. A livestock density of less than 0.04G LU/ha is appropriate.
A removal period of at least 6 months is likely to be beneficial to minimise damage to the sensitive habitat.
Shepherd stock away from these areas as much as possible.
SFI moorland actions which are likely to be suitable for your heathland habitats
| SFI action code | Action |
|---|---|
| UPL2 | UPL2: Low livestock grazing on moorland - action to graze up to 0.08GLU/ha |
| UPL3 | UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland - action to graze up to 0.04GLU/ha |
| UPL4 | UPL4: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 30% GLU) - action for at least 30% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL5 | UPL5: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (minimum 70% GLU) - action for at least 70% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL6 | UPL6: Keep cattle and ponies on moorland supplement (100% GLU) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)- action for 100% of GLU cattle or ponies |
| UPL8 | UPL8: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 4 months) - action to remove stock for at least 4 months |
| UPL9 | UPL9: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 6 months) - action to remove stock for at least 6 months |
| UPL10 | UPL10: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) - action to remove stock for at least 8 months |
Grassland habitats
When managing grassland, ensure that:
- vegetation structure is varied
- grasses and flowers are able to set seed
Species-poor grass moorland
Grazing management
Moderate grazing is recommended for this habitat to manage the year’s growth while allowing some grasses and flowers to set seed. A livestock density of less than 0.16GLU/ha is appropriate.
At the right grazing levels, stocking throughout the year can be sustained on dry areas, however a 4-month period of stock removal can be beneficial.
Use a reduced livestock density on overgrazed grass moorland.
On wetter areas consider removing stock (particularly cattle) over autumn and winter to prevent damage to the water environment, soil surface and structure.
Species- rich grass moorland
Species- rich grass moorland can include:
- calcareous grassland
- purple moor-grass and rush pastures
- upland hay meadows
- calaminarian grassland
Grazing management
Generally, low grazing is suitable on species-rich grass moorland. A livestock density of less than 0.08GLU/ha is appropriate.
Consider excluding stock during spring and early summer flowering, particularly if grazing with sheep. Sheep are likely to selectively graze flowers, preventing species from setting seed and leading to declines in diversity.
Total stock exclusion is not usually recommended for this feature as, if left ungrazed for a prolonged period, tall grasses tend to dominate and species diversity will decline.
Read more detailed advice on how to maintain species-rich grassland.
SFI moorland actions which are likely to be suitable for your grassland habitats
Woodland
Find information on how to manage and maintain woodland.
Woodland does not require grazing to maintain good condition. -Stock can cause damage, particularly to young trees, preventing natural regeneration. A livestock density of less than 0.04GLU/ha is appropriate.
Complete removal of livestock is ideal to minimise damage to the sensitive habitat.
SFI moorland actions which are likely to be suitable for your woodland habitats
| SFI action code | Action |
|---|---|
| UPL3 | UPL3: Limited livestock grazing on moorland - action to graze up to 0.04 grazing livestock units per hectare (GLU/ha) |
| UPL10 | UPL10: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for at least 8 months) - action to remove stock for at least 8 months |
Features which need further consideration
Limestone pavement
Many of the plants and insects found on limestone pavement are rare or scarce. You should allow plants to flower and set seed on this habitat.
Grazing management
Limestone pavement does not need an allocated livestock density - livestock on the habitat next to it will occasionally graze it.
If rabbit grazing pressure is high, fewer livestock should be grazed.
Low cattle grazing is most beneficial for limestone pavement with an exclusion period of at least 6 months.
Consider excluding stock during spring and early summer flowering, particularly if grazing with sheep. Sheep are likely to selectively graze flowers, preventing species from setting seed and leading to declines in diversity.
Consider completely excluding stock during winter to limit damage to the habitat.
Bare ground
Avoid grazing and stock poaching (trampling) on these areas to allow bare ground areas to revegetate.
Dense bracken
The habitat will have little or no grazing potential and will be difficult to restore to any other habitat (except scrub and woodland). You may wish to create woodland in these areas, contact the Forestry Commission for advice.
Grazing management
Treat areas of grass moorland or dry heath with light bracken coverage as less productive areas of grass moorland or dry heath by reducing the stocking density by half.
Grazing under bracken may be unavailable during summer when the bracken is tall.
Historic and archaeological features
Historic and archaeological features can be damaged by erosion, poaching, burrowing, dumping and scrub, gorse or bracken growth. Visible sites should be unobscured by vegetation. You should maintain a cover of dwarf shrubs, heather, and other shallow rooted tussocky vegetation on the features (unless the feature is unvegetated by its nature, for example, built heritage).
You should consider how the grazing will benefit the feature so that it is neither over or under grazed. Where it is not possible to graze the feature to maintain the appropriate vegetation cover, you may need to consider other methods, for example cutting by hand.
Any works to scheduled monuments require consent and you should seek advice from Historic England.
Stock should be removed over winter to avoid poaching (trampling) and compaction at the feature.
Cattle and ponies can help with bracken control, for example by crushing, trampling, rolling or eating it. This could benefit visibility and reduce damage to historic features – however, stock could also damage the features.
Before grazing with cattle and ponies, think about if they’ll enhance (and not compromise) the condition of historic and archaeological features.
You may wish to seek advice from:
- Historic England if you have scheduled monuments on your agreement land
- your Natural England adviser if you have other historic and archaeological features on your agreement land
Water features
Follow recommendations for the surrounding habitat (excluding the water feature itself).
Ensure management activities limit the chance of poaching (trampling), damage to the banks and compaction to the vegetation or soils.
Consider removing stock over winter to avoid poaching and compaction to the feature.
Established tracks
Follow recommendations for the surrounding habitat. Ensure management activities limit the chance of poaching (trampling) and erosion.
Upland cliffs and screes
These habitats can be important for nesting birds as well as rare and scarce vegetation adapted to living on screes and rocks – often these are bryophytes and lichens.
Shepherd stock away from these areas to avoid damage.