CUP3: General moorland management   

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

Duration

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£55 per hectare ( ha ) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to:

follow best practice management on moorland

prevent degradation

The purpose of this is to:

support habitats and species recovery

protect historic and archaeological features

improve the landscape character

Where you can do this action:

You can do this action on eligible land that:

is above the moorland line

is above the stockproof boundary of enclosed semi-natural vegetation and may include allotments, intakes or newtakes

contains one or more moorland priority habitats or species, unless you’re also applying for CUP7: Manage non-peat moorland soils for flood and drought resilience supplement , where you do not need one or more priority habitats or species

If a land parcel is located above and below the moorland line, you can enter it into this action if:

most of the area is above the moorland line

it’s managed as one grazing unit with adjacent land parcels located above the moorland line

This action can only be used in combination with any of the following Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier moorland management actions:

CUP8: Moderate livestock grazing on moorland

CUP9: Low livestock grazing on moorland

CUP10: Limited livestock grazing on moorland

CUP11: Shepherding livestock on moorland (no required stock removal period)

CUP12: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 4 months)

CUP13: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 6 months)

CUP14: Shepherding livestock on moorland (remove stock for a minimum of 8 months)

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

Permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01

Scattered scrub Notional features NF03

Scattered bracken or heather Notional features NF02

Bracken, heather and heathland Bracken heather and heathland HE02

Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 2) Inland water IW02

Fen, marsh and swamp Inland wetland IW06

Bog Inland wetland IW07

Non-agricultural area or feature which is temporary and likely to change over time (ineligible area) Non-agricultural area NA02

Scattered rock Notional features NF01

Scattered water features Notional features NF05

Scattered natural features Notional features NF06

Gallop Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT01

Track – natural surface Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT03

Scree Rock RO02

Boulders Rock RO03

Rocky outcrop Rock RO04

Watercourse – ditch, drain or dyke Water/irrigation features WF01

Pond Water/irrigation features WF03

Scrub Natural woodland WO25

Available area you can enter into this action

Total available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the 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.

The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may need to:

agree a moorland habitat plan with your Natural England adviser for any cutting or burning of heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium

control dense rush so it does not cover more than an agreed area of land

control scrub and bracken on the moorland so they do not become dominant vegetation, particularly on historic or archaeological features

You must report any accidental burns to the Rural Payments Agency.

You must not:

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

carry out mechanical operations or other activity that may disturb breeding or non-breeding birds during the breeding season (typically mid-March to late July)

maintain artificial drains

plough, cultivate or reseed, harrow or roll unless part of your agreement

apply any fertilisers, manures or lime (unless agreed with your Natural England adviser)

create new access for vehicles – you can only use agreed existing access routes

supplementary feed livestock on land entered into this action, unless this has been agreed with your Natural England adviser to support the purpose of this action

The feeding of hay or haylage is permitted in cases of extreme weather for the purpose of animal welfare only.

Extreme weather is defined as 2 or more consecutive days of deep snow or hard frost.

Read more about supplementary feeding in extreme weather in the advice section of this action.

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:

management activity on the action area for each parcel

receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work

photographs of the extent of scrub and bracken on any historic and archaeological features on the site before works start

For each supplementary feed (due to extreme weather or as agreed), you must provide:

a record of the time and date

the location using maps and photographs

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 CMOR1, HEF5

SFI 2023 actions MOR1

CSHT actions CUP8, CUP9, CUP10, CUP11, CUP12, CUP13, CUP14, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CWS1, CWS3, CSP21, CSP20, CSW25, CAGF1, CAGF3, CAGF2, CAGF4, CHS4

CS options HS4

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:

to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser if you intend to carry out moorland restoration

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 a wildfire mitigation plan, if required

get a moorland habitat plan agreed with your Natural England adviser for any cutting or burning of heather, rough grass, bracken, gorse or vaccinium

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

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

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

If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for funding through capital grants plans funding .

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.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

All of those with a management interest or right on the land need to be in agreement before you apply for this action.

Managing your moorland

Moorlands contain:

a variety of priority habitats and species that are important for nature and the environment

many historic and archaeological features

Cutting and burning

It is not appropriate to carry out burning management on peat soils.

You may need to adapt your management activities to prioritise managing habitats, historic and archaeological features sensitively.

There are typically more constraints on burning activities for this action than the current regulations on burning heather and grass .

Using vehicles

Take care not to damage moorland through your vehicle use.

Water flow is an important component of blanket bog and wet heath hydrology – this can be damaged by vehicle use.

Restoring peatland

Restoring hydrology is crucial for peatland restoration. It’ll likely involve blocking artificial drainage such as grips and drains. You can use WN1: Grip blocking drainage channels to support this work.

Supplementary feeding in extreme weather

During periods of extreme weather, manage supplementary feeding to avoid damaging habitats such as blanket bog, heather, bilberry and other heath, species-rich grassland and mires. Move feeding sites regularly to minimise damage to vegetation and soils.

Avoid transferring undesirable species in the hay or haylage such as docks or rosebay willowherb.

Do not:

feed on or next to archaeological features, steep slopes, footpaths or watercourses

use troughs or feeders

If you need to supplementary feed multiple times in the winter or every year, consider reducing or removing your stock during this period.

Follow the farming rules for water – you’ll need to take steps to stop pollution from grazing livestock.

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

Permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01

Scattered scrub Notional features NF03

Scattered bracken or heather Notional features NF02

Bracken, heather and heathland Bracken heather and heathland HE02

Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 2) Inland water IW02

Fen, marsh and swamp Inland wetland IW06

Bog Inland wetland IW07

Non-agricultural area or feature which is temporary and likely to change over time (ineligible area) Non-agricultural area NA02

Scattered rock Notional features NF01

Scattered water features Notional features NF05

Scattered natural features Notional features NF06

Gallop Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT01

Track – natural surface Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT03

Scree Rock RO02

Boulders Rock RO03

Rocky outcrop Rock RO04

Watercourse – ditch, drain or dyke Water/irrigation features WF01

Pond Water/irrigation features WF03

Scrub Natural woodland WO25