CSW13: Manage grassland to reduce nutrient levels in groundwater

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier ( CSHT ). You must read the CSHT guidance before you apply.

Duration

5 years

How much you’ll be paid

£396 per hectare ( ha ) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is that there’s an intact grass sward throughout the year, with:

a medium sward height during the winter – this is typically between 5cm and 15cm

minimal bare ground

a reduced level of nutrient inputs applied

The purpose of this is to:

reduce nutrient inputs to grassland in priority Water Framework Directive ( WFD ) groundwater failure areas

help slow or reverse nutrient levels in groundwater

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible land:

located below the moorland line

typically receiving more than 200 kilograms (kg) per hectare of nitrogen per year

identified as a priority WFD groundwater failure area within the Countryside Stewardship targeting and scoring layer on the Magic website

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:

an eligible land type

registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps

declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code

Temporary grassland Arable land TG01

Improved permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01

Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it at the same location each year of this action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:

ensure the soil on your grassland is completely covered by vegetation to minimise bare ground exposure (as agreed with your adviser)

reduce or not apply fertiliser or manure

You must not:

plough, cultivate or re-seed the soil

carry out supplementary feeding of livestock, apart from providing non-energy based mineral blocks

apply pesticides – you may be able to use herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native plant species, nettles or other plants if this has been agreed with your Natural England adviser

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency ( RPA ) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:

field operations at a land parcel level

associated invoices including seed invoices

photographs and other documentation

Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

Scheme Action or option code

SFI 2024 actions CSAM1, AGF1, AGF2, OFC1, OFC3, OFM1, OFM4, PRF1, PRF2, CIPM1, CNUM1

SFI 2023 actions SAM1, IPM1, NUM1

CSHT actions CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CWS1, CWS3, CSP21, CSP20, CPAC1, CAGF1, CAGF3, CAGF2, CAGF4

CS options OR1, OR3, OT1, OT3

ES options N/A

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:

CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4

SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD2

SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3

CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)

Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:

Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments

consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest ( SSSI )

You may need to:

get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land

get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat

All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record ( HEFER ).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:

an eligible land type

registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps

declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover

Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code

Temporary grassland Arable land TG01

Improved permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01