countryside stewardship - forestry commission · pdf filefy2 – woodland infrastructure...
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Countryside Stewardship
Contents
• Context
• Options and items
• Guidance and forms
• Applications, including Expressions of Interest
• Scoring
• Agreements
Context
Agri-environment and Forestry 2014-2020 £m
Countryside Stewardship 925
Existing HLS 1,138
Existing ELS 912
Existing Forestry 105
Total 3,080
Rural Development Programme England (RDPE) 2014 -2020
How the scheme will help the environment • The main priorities of the new scheme are:
Overview
• Countryside Stewardship: – will contribute around £900 million to help protect and improve our
environment.
– will be open to all eligible farmers, foresters and land managers
– is a competitive targeted scheme, with grants awarded to those who will make the biggest improvements in their local area.
– replaces Environmental Stewardship (ES), the English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) and capital grants from the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme.
How it works
• Countryside Stewardship has three main elements:
Purpose Length
• For the most environmentally important sites, including commons and woodlands.
• Woodland Improvement Multi-Annual. • Woodland Improvement Infrastructure
& Capital Grants. • Usually be in places that need complex
management.
• Multi-year agreements, typically for 5 years.
• Longer agreements may be available in some specific circumstances.
• To address widespread environmental issues, e.g. reducing diffuse water pollution.
• Multi-year agreements, typically for 5 years.
• Longer agreements may be available in some specific circumstances.
• Water Capital Grants. • Woodland Creation Capital Grants. • Woodland Management Plans. • Woodland Tree Health. • Hedgerow and Boundary Capital Grants.
• Typically for a one or two year programme of work.
Higher Tier
Mid Tier
Capital Grants
Who’s involved
• Forestry Commission and Natural England will jointly delivery Countryside Stewardship.
• Natural England will broadly lead on the set up and delivery of transactional services for Countryside Stewardship for the first year of the scheme. – This means agri-environment and woodland applications will be
administered by Natural England.
– Applications for the 2015 Woodland Capital Grants will continue to be administered through Forestry Commission Admin. Hubs.
• As with the Basic Payments Scheme, a paper-based approach will be adopted.
• This set up will help maintain continuity until new, online transactional functions are established in the Rural Payments Agency.
Options and items
Options and items
• With the launch of the full scheme on 1 July 2015, the following new woodland improvement options will become available:
• Multi-annual
• Capital
• Infrastructure
• In addition to the following options which opened earlier in 2015: – Woodland Management Plans
– Woodland Tree Health
• Woodland creation will open again in 2016.
Woodland management plans • A Forestry Commission (FC) approved, UK Forestry Standard
(UKFS) compliant plan, is an eligibility requirement for all Countryside Stewardship agreements on existing woodland.
• A plan must be in place before applying for the Woodland Improvement Higher Tier options – it serves to validate the woodland improvement objective. – This requirement may mean that for a given holding an an application
for area-based Agri-Environment options is made in one year and an application for woodland improvement options follows the next year.
• A management plan is not required for tree health or woodland creation applications.
• A management plan item is available for the preparation of full plans for areas over 3ha. For areas less than 10ha, a small plan will suffice.
Woodland improvement Multi annual • Applicants can apply for Woodland Improvement multi annual support if
the work falls under one (or more) of the following objectives: – Restoring plantations on ancient woodland sites
– Enhancing priority habitats
– Enhancing priority species
– Improving resilience to climate change through continuous cover forestry (CCF)
• This option will improve the biodiversity of the woodland or make it more resilient to climate change.
• More details on these objectives, and the requirements for each, are described in the option Woodland Improvement (WD2).
WD2 Woodland Improvement Prescriptions
• Mandatory prescriptions for WD2 Woodland Improvement
Objective Mandatory prescription
PAWs
Reduce the % of coniferous species by year 5, as agreed with an adviser
If required, use regeneration felling to encourage crown development or natural regeneration
Replant 1,100 trees per Ha if native species haven’t started to regenerate naturally 2 years
after the removal of conifers (this is for areas larger than 0.25ha)
Enhance priority habitats
Manage successional scrub through cyclical cutting
Re-coppice as agreed with an adviser.
Thin or selectively fell trees as agreed with an adviser.
Enhance priority species
Manage successional scrub through cyclical cutting
Re-coppice as agreed with an adviser.
Thin or selectively fell trees as agreed with an adviser.
Improve resilience to
climate change and
improve water quality
through CCF
Implement silvicultural transformation
If required, use regeneration felling to encourage crown development or natural regeneration
Replant 1,100 trees per Ha if native species haven’t started to regenerate naturally 2 years
after the removal of conifers (this is for areas larger than 0.25ha)
WD2 Woodland Improvement Prescriptions
Prescription Guidance
Use hair tubes to monitor the presence of red
and grey squirrels in red squirrel strongholds
Presence of red or grey squirrels required.
Release veteran trees from competing tree
growth
Must have veteran trees in area of activity.
Prioritise veteran trees at risk.
Take account of the veteran trees during operations on site (e.g.
thinning)
Control deer if they are identified in the
woodland management plan, put in place a deer
management plan and manage deer populations
using lethal control or fencing to allow
establishment of ground flora and understory.
Deer must be present.
Deer management plan produced should follow as a minimum the
Deer Initiative management plan template.
Remove competing, non-native or invasive
species by mechanical or chemical control, as
agreed with an adviser
Remove non-natives that are detrimental to the woodland:
If substantial blocks of invasive species such as rhododendron are
present, a capital item for removal of this can be applied for (SB6).
Good practise should be encouraged in the area of activity (biosecurity,
cleanliness)
• These prescriptions need to be carried out on all sites, if applicable
Prescription Guidance
Create or manage permanent open space and
access rides
As appropriate, as informed, for example, by the management plan, in
support of achieving UKFS compliance across the work area.
Manage ride edges by cyclical cutting As appropriate, as informed, for example, by the management plan
Ride management should be a minimum of two zone.
Create or maintain appropriate levels of
deadwood habitat in line with the UK Forestry
Standard
As appropriate, as informed, for example, by the management plan
Complete an operational site assessment, or
similar, to show UKFS compliant operational
activities
The FC template for an operational site assessment does not need to be
used, but any alternative ones presented must include all the elements
within the FC template.
Control grey squirrels if they’re identified as a
threat in the woodland management plan
(Grey squirrels must be present on the site)
Use live or lethal traps at 1 per ha and check them daily
If red squirrels are present, only live traps should be used
Keeping Records Show evidence of activities undertaken through monitoring,
photography and marking
Provide monitoring reports in years 3 and 5 to confirm progress (e.g.
providing before and after photographs, a record of the number of deer
culled, and the results of squirrel monitoring)
WD2 Woodland Improvement Prescriptions Continued
Woodland improvement Capital • The capital items available to support woodland improvement can be seen
using the Countryside Stewardship Grants tool.
• Capital items can be applied for both to support multi annual agreements and as stand-alone items.
• Examples of the capital items available for woodland improvement can be found in the option ‘Woodland Improvement (WD2)’.
Woodland improvement Capital Items
• FG1 - Fencing
• FG2 - Sheep netting
• FG4 - Rabbit fencing supplement
• FG5 - Fencing supplement - difficult sites
• FG9 - Deer fencing
• FG10 - Temporary deer fencing
• FG11 - Deer exclusion plot
• FG12 - Wooden field gate
• FG14 - Badger gate
• FG15 - Water gates
• FY1 - Deer high seat
• SB2 - Scrub control - difficult sites
• SB1 - Scrub control and felling diseased trees
• SB4 - Chemical bracken control
• SB5 - Mechanical bracken control
• SB6 - Rhododendron control
• RP3 - Watercourse crossings
• RP5 - Cross drains
• RP6 - Installation of piped culverts in ditches
• RP12 - Check dams
• WN5 - Pond management (first 100 sq m)
• WN8 - Timber sluice
• WB1 - Small wildlife box
• WB2 - Medium wildlife box
• WB3 - Large wildlife box
Capital Items – can be used to make up capital only applications or with a multi-year option
Group 1: Stand alone (scored) Group 2: Only alongside Group 1 (not scored)
FG1 - Fencing FG2 - Sheep netting FG9 - Deer fencing FG10 - Temporary deer fencing FG11 - Deer exclosure plot FY1 - Deer high seat (tbc) FY2 – Woodland Infrastructure SB1 - Scrub control & felling diseased trees SB2 - Scrub control - difficult sites SB6 – Rhododendron Control
FG4 - Rabbit fencing supplement FG5 - Fencing supplement - difficult sites FG12 - Wooden field gate FG14 - Badger gate FG15 - Water gates
Capital-items - only with multi year options Not eligible for stand alone capital applications (must be applied for along with a multi year option):
RP5 - Cross drains
WN5 - Pond management (first 100 sq m)
WB1 - Small wildlife box
WB2 - Medium wildlife box
WB3 - Large wildlife box
RP3 - Watercourse crossings
RP6 - Installation of piped culverts in ditches
SB4 - Chemical bracken control
SB5 - Mechanical bracken control
WN8 - Timber sluice
AC1 - Access capital items
Woodland improvement Infrastructure
• Applicants can apply for a grant for woodland improvement infrastructure.
• This supports improving the management of the woodland through making woodland accessible by road, allowing timber and other forest products to be moved more easily.
• More information can be found under Woodland Infrastructure (FY2).
Footer text 20
Code Type Title Payment
FY2 Capital Woodland Infrastructure 40% of actual costs
21
Block (ha) Agreement (ha)
Woodland Improvement Overall area 0.5
3ha woodland only 1 ha woodland SSSI 0.5 ha mixed applications
Capital only 0.5 Min. application £500
Infrastructure 0.5 Min. application £500
Woodland Management Plans
3.0
Woodland Tree Health
Restoration 0.5 0.5
Improvement 0.5 0.5
Woodland Creation
Biodiversity 0.5 3.0
Water 0.1 1.0
Thresholds
Guidance and forms
Guidance and forms
• The following will be made available:
Guidance on GOV.UK Forms on GOV.UK
Countryside Stewardship Manual
EoI form
Expression of Interest guidance
Higher-Tier application form, including woodland
Woodland application form guidance
Scoring form
Individual item and option guides (published)
Statements of priorities (published)
Countryside Stewardship manual
Guidance
Guide to Countryside Stewardship
Published 15 June 2016
Contents
1. Scheme overview 2. How it works
3. Who can apply 4. Getting consents and permissions 5. How to apply
6. Choose options and capital items 7. Agreement management
8. Terms and conditions
Individual item and option guides
Applications
When to apply
• In 2015:
• The application window for woodland creation will open again in 2016.
• You can apply for Woodland Management Plans & Woodland Tree Health at any time.
When What
Now – 15 July 2015 Submit an EoI (if including agri-environment options)
By 31 July 2015 Complete and submit an initial woodland application form
By 30 September 2015 Submit your final application
October Appraisal and selection
November – December Offers to applicants
1 January 2016 Start date for multi annual agreements
Expressions of Interest
Woodland options Woodland option application form by 31 July 2015
Mixed EoI
by 15 July 2015 &
woodland option application form by 31 July 2015
Agri-environment options
EoI by 15 July 2015
Who can apply
• Countryside Stewardship is open to land managers who are one of the following: – land owners or occupiers;
– tenants;
– landlords;
– licensors; and
– common land rights holders.
• Further information on who can apply will be available in the CS manual and hosted on gov.uk
Who is ineligible
• Countryside Stewardship cannot pay for any environmental management that is already required by statutory duty through:
– payment from Exchequer funds;
– grant aid from any other public body; or
– any other form of legally binding obligation.
• Crown bodies and non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are not eligible for the scheme.
• Tenants of publically owned land can apply but in all cases, the landlord’s consent is required and the work proposed must not already be covered by the tenancy agreement.
Businesses with multiple sites
• For 2016 agreements there can be multiple paper-based applications from each Single Business Identifier (SBI)
• These applications will be scored individually for each woodland property
• Each application results in one agreement
• For 2016 agreements, for each SBI, applications must all be either Higher Tier or Mid Tier but not both. For 2017 onwards we are aiming to allow a mix of Higher and Mid tier.
• For each SBI all agreements will be combined into a single claim each year
Eligible land
Land parcels must be entirely within England.
1. Agricultural area
– Defined as area taken up by arable, permanent grassland, permanent pasture, or permanent crops.
2. Woodland
– Standard definition e.g. minimum area 0.5ha, width 20m
3. Protected sites (SSSIs, SACs, SPA).
4. Land that is a priority habitat or contains priority species under Biodiversity 2020.
Ineligible land
• Developed land.
• Significant areas (more than 1ha) of standing or running water.
• Land that is subject to another scheme or obligation that’s incompatible with Countryside Stewardship.
• Land where the applicant doesn’t have management control for the duration of the agreement.
Consents
• The consents required are listed for each option or capital item in the individual option guides
• The requirements for any consents, permission, permits, exemptions and written advice will need to be identified and consultation initiated with the relevant bodies as early as possible in the application process. This will allow time for a formal decision to be made.
• It will not be possible for an agreement to be offered until the required consents are in place.
• Woodland infrastructure e.g. – Permitted development/planning permission
– Consent from local planning authority if the road would cross a watercourse
– EIA opinion from the FC and full consent where required
01/07/2015 Footer text 34
How to apply
• This depends on what you are applying for: – Agri environment only
– Woodland only
– Mixed applications
• All applicants: – Must have registered land on the Rural Land Register (RLR)
– Must have a Customer Reference Number (CRN)
– Must have an FC-approved management plan (unless you are applying for tree health or woodland management plans)
Submit Expression of Interest to Natural England
by 15 July Submit initial
woodland application to Natural England
(incl. a map) by 31 July
Finalise and submit
application by 30
September 2015
Review woodland
options with Forestry
Commission Woodland
Officer
Develop application
with Natural England advisor
Agri-environment
only
Mixed applications
Woodland only
Application process Overview
Scoring
Scoring Context • Countryside Stewardship is a targeted, competitive scheme
and funding is limited
• Not all eligible applicants will be offered an agreement
• Consistent with the wider CS scoring framework
• Applications will be ‘scored’ on the basis of:
– How the CS priorities, have been addressed and
– Which priorities have been chosen and where
• Review process after first year
Scoring Scope • In scope
– Woodland Improvement - multi-annual
– Woodland Improvement – capital
– Woodland Improvement – infrastructure
– Higher Tier and Mid Tier Agri-environment options
• Out of scope – Woodland management plans
– Woodland tree health – restoration and improvement
– Woodland creation (separate scoring and application)
Scoring Timing
• Applicant self scores on form to be submitted with initial application by 31 July 2015
• Woodland adviser will validate and compare score against threshold score
• If meeting or above threshold score application will be progressed
• Final application with agreed final score to be submitted by 30 September 2015
• Final applications will be ranked against a cut-off score set dependant on application levels and budgets at the close of the application window (30 September 2015)
• Ranking will be applied separately to woodland only applications, mixed applications and agri environment only applications
• Successful applications offered agreement.
40
Scoring Framework
• Each woodland improvement application- made up of multi-annual objective and/or capital item receives a combined score;
• A score is calculated using:
– a pre-determined base score allocated according to generic Countryside Stewardship priorities; plus:
– An area based score dependant on what is being achieved where; Area of activity for woodland improvement multi-annual or the area of influence for capital items and woodland infrastructure.
The area of influence depends on the capital item that is being used, for a deer fence it would be the area within the fence for woodland infrastructure is would be the area that the road brings into active management
– There is a supplementary score for application areas for the appropriate management of woodland SSSI’s
– Only a base score is used for ‘Priority Species – Woodland Bird Assemblage’ which can be associated with other objectives.
• A given area can only be scored once
Scoring Score Form • The following slides provide an overview of the score form
• This Consists of: – Table 1: Multi Annual Agreements and Capital Items supporting those
objectives
– Table 2: Preliminary Score Table
– Table 3 Additional Base Score – Woodland Bird Assemblage (where applicable)
– Table 4 – Woodland SSSI Supplement (where applicable)
– Table 5 - Grand Total
Score Form Table 1: Multi annual agreements and capital items supporting these objectives
CS Priority Objective Gateway Requirements Area for WD2
(ha) (Priority)
Additional
Area for
capital items
(ha)
Total Area
for
objective
(ha)
Biodiversity
Priority
Habitat
Woodland for this objective must be 50% or more high priority habitat i.e.
Should comprise native species, but can include a proportion of non-native
or advancing/ honorary natives. Up to 20% of the native species could
comprise advancing or honorary natives e.g. beech, hornbeam, sweet
chestnut, sycamore and holm oak as honorary natives in England. Up to
20% of the species could be non-native.
Woodland in lower priority areas must also be in a LIS layer for priority
species or woodland bird assemblage to be included in this objective.
For conifer woodland, the intention for conversion to broadleaf must be
identified in the management plan other than where specific SSSI
requirements state otherwise.
Open the data layer in LIS titled
‘CS Biodiversity Woodland Improvement’
to check the priority area applicable (i.e. high/
medium/ low).
The adjacent colour coding corresponds with the
data layer in LIS.
(High)
(High)
(High)
(Medium) (Medium) (Medium)
(Low) (Low) (Low)
Priority
Species
Refer to the specific National Character Area (NCA) Statement of Priorities
for the list of priority species potentially within or adjacent to your
woodland:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/countryside-stewardship-
statements-of-priorities,
The area benefitting a priority species is defined by
the area of activity/influence directly benefitting the
priority species objective in the Woodland
Improvement multi-annual option or associated
capital item(s).
You will need to provide evidence of presence
through for example a recent record (within last five
years) showing that the species is present either in
or adjacent to the woodland. This will be validated
by a woodland officer.
(High) (High) (High)
PAWS
Resto-
ration
The area against this objective must be within a PAWS restoration area.
The objective area must be predominantly conifer (i.e. 50% or more of the
trees are conifer)
Open the data layer in LIS titled ‘CS Biodiversity -
Priority Habitat Proximity - Ancient Woodland' and
select the PAWS category.
Next open the High and Medium categories from
the 'CS Biodiversity - Priority Habitat Network' layer
to check that the proposed PAWS restoration
activity is in a priority habitat network area.
(High) (High) (High)
Water CCF- For
Water
The area against this objective must be within a water quality catchment
area for acidification.
The woodland will need to be managed to meet the UKFS Practice Guide
titled ‘Managing forests in acid sensitive water catchments’
Open the data layer in LIS titled ‘CS Water – Water
Quality – Acidification’ to check whether the
objective area is within the data layer.
(High) (High) High)
Priority definition for woodland improvement • High Priority (1000) = all broadleaved woodland not captured in the
medium priority
• Medium Priority (100) = conifer woodland (i.e. that is not captured below) + young broadleaved woodland planted under EWGS and all broadleaved woodland that has had a standalone felling licence approved in the last 10 years that wasn’t supported by an FC approved management plan.
• Low priority (10) = Conifer woodland (includes young conifer woodland planted under EWGS and all conifer woodland compartments that have had a standalone felling licence approved in the last 10 years that wasn’t supported by an FC approved management plan).
• The priority category for a given woodland can be checked by visiting the Land Information Search website www.forestry.gov.uk/england-lis
Score Form Table 1: Multi annual agreements and capital items supporting these objectives
CS Priority Objective Gateway Requirements
Biodiversity Priority
Habitat
Woodland for this objective must be 50% or more high priority
habitat i.e. Should comprise native species, but can include a
proportion of non-native or advancing/ honorary natives. Up to
20% of the native species could comprise advancing or
honorary natives e.g. beech, hornbeam, sweet chestnut,
sycamore and holm oak as honorary natives in England. Up to
20% of the species could be non-native.
Woodland in lower priority areas must also be in a LIS layer
for priority species or woodland bird assemblage to be
included in this objective.
For conifer woodland, the intention for conversion to broadleaf
must be identified in the management plan other than where
specific SSSI requirements state otherwise.
Open the data layer in LIS titled
‘CS Biodiversity Woodland
Improvement’
to check the priority area
applicable (i.e. high/ medium/ low).
The adjacent colour coding
corresponds with the data layer in
LIS.
Score Form Table 1: Multi annual agreements and capital items supporting these objectives
CS Priority Objective Gateway Requirements
Biodiversity Priority
Species
Refer to the specific National Character Area (NCA)
Statement of Priorities for the list of priority species
potentially within or adjacent to your woodland:
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/countryside-
stewardship-statements-of-priorities,
The area benefitting a priority species is
defined by the area of activity/influence
directly benefitting the priority species
objective in the Woodland Improvement
multi-annual option or associated capital
item(s).
You will need to provide evidence of
presence through for example a recent
record (within last five years) showing that
the species is present either in or adjacent
to the woodland. This will be validated by a
woodland officer.
Score Form Table 1: Multi annual agreements and capital items supporting these objectives
CS Priority Objective Gateway Requirements
Biodiversity PAWS
Restoration
The area against this objective must be within a PAWS
restoration area. The objective area must be
predominantly conifer (i.e. 50% or more of the trees are
conifer)
Open the data layer in LIS titled ‘CS
Biodiversity - Priority Habitat Proximity -
Ancient Woodland' and select the PAWS
category.
Next open the High and Medium
categories from the 'CS Biodiversity -
Priority Habitat Network' layer to check that
the proposed PAWS restoration activity is
in a priority habitat network area.
Score Form Table 1: Multi annual agreements and capital items supporting these objectives
CS Priority Objective Gateway Requirements
Water CCF- For
Water
The area against this objective must be within a water
quality catchment area for acidification.
The woodland will need to be managed to meet the
UKFS Practice Guide titled ‘Managing forests in acid
sensitive water catchments’
Open the data layer in LIS titled ‘CS Water
– Water Quality – Acidification’ to check
whether the objective area is within the
data layer.
Score Form Table 2: Preliminary Totals
WD2 Objective/ Capital Item Base Score (A)
Total Area for
Objective (B) from
Table 1
Points Per Hectare
(C)
Self-Score
A + (B x C)
FC
Agreed
Score
WD2 Objectives and
Supporting Capital
Items
(Table 1)
Priority
Habitat
High
1000 100
Medium 100 10
Low 10 1
Priority Species 1000 100
PAWS Restoration 1000 100
CCF- For Water 1000 100
Totals
Gateway Requirement
Met? (Yes/No)
Score Form Table 3- Woodland Bird Assemblage
CS Priority
WD2
Objective/
capital item
Gateway Requirements
Biodiversity Woodland bird
assemblage
The application area is made
up of blocks within or touching
a woodland bird assemblage
area.
Open the following data layer in LIS ‘CS
Biodiversity – Woodland Bird Assemblage’
to check whether the application area is
within the data layer.
If the gateway is achieved the Woodland
bird assemblage base score can be
applied
This criteria only attracts a base score
(1,000), there is no associated area
score.
Gateway Requirement Met?
(Yes/No) Self-Score
FC Agreed
Score
Score Form Table 4: SSSI Supplement
CS Priority Supplement Gateway Requirements
Biodiversity Woodland
SSSI
All or part of the
application area is
located within a
woodland SSSI
Gateway
Requirement Met?
(Yes/No)
Self-Score FC Agreed Score
Score Form Table 5: Grand Total
Self-Score FC Agreed Score
Preliminary Score (Table 2)
Additional Base Score
Woodland Bird Assemblage (Table
3)
Woodland SSSI Supplement
(Table 4)
Grand Total
Scoring Worked example • Example 1: A site has 10ha high priority woodland,
plus 5ha medium priority – This achieves the gateway score for priority habitat thus achieves the
base score of 1000 for the high priority area and 100 for the medium priority area
– The area of activity is 10 ha high priority and 5ha medium priority
– The area point score for high priority woodland is 100, for medium priority is 10
– Score = 1,000 + (10 x 100) + 100 + (5 x 10) = 2,150
Scoring Worked example • Example 2: A site has 10ha high priority woodland,
5ha of which is within a SSSI – This achieves the gateway score for priority habitat thus achieves the
base score of 1,000
– The area of activity is 10 ha high priority
– The area point score for high priority woodland is 100
– Score = 1,000 + (10 x 100) = 2,000
5ha of the site is in a SSSI thus the supplement can be calculated:
– {( Area within SSSI (5ha)/ Total area(10 ha)} x Total score (2,000)} x 10%
– SSSI Supplement = 100
– Total Score= 2,000 + 100 = 2,100
Scoring Examples
Wider Woodland area
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
Scoring Examples
Wider Woodland area
Capital item ‘FY2- Woodland Infrastructure’
Capital Item
‘Area of influence’
Scoring Examples
Wider Woodland area
Capital item ‘FY2- Woodland Infrastructure’
Capital Item
‘Area of influence’
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
Scoring Examples
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Wider Woodland area
Capital item ‘FY2- Woodland Infrastructure’
Capital Item
‘Area of influence’
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
Scoring Examples
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Wider Woodland area
Capital item ‘FY2- Woodland Infrastructure’
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
Capital Item
‘Area of influence’
Area where the capital item area of influence overlaps with MAA area of activity. This area will be scored for the MAA activity and excluded from the capital area of influence
Scoring Examples
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Wider Woodland area
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Deer Fence
Capital Item FG9- Deer Fencing Inside an area of WD2 activity. This area of influence would therefore not contribute to the score
Scoring Examples
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Wider Woodland area
WD2 Area of Priority Habitat
WD2 Area of PAWs Restoration
Deer Fence Capital Item FG9- Deer Fencing Outside an area of WD2 activity. This area of influence would therefore be added to the score
Agreements
After applying
• Natural England technical services will acknowledge receipt of woodland improvement applications.
• Agreements will be offered to those applications that meet the local scheme priorities within the budget available.
• Applicants will be informed whether they have been successful after the window closes.
• Successful applicants: – Will be offered an agreement, with 20 days to accept or decline. The
offer will be withdrawn if it is not accepted on time.
– Must return the signed multi annual agreements by 15 December 2015.
• Unsuccessful applicants will be advised why their application was rejected.
Next steps
What When
Expression of Interest guidance published Online now
CS Manual Online now
Expression of Interest submission deadline 15 July 2015
Deadline for the woodland application form 31 July 2015
Deadline for final applications 30 September 2015
Contact us
• For further information: www.gov.uk/countrysidestewardship
• Natural England will handle all initial enquiries (including woodland enquiries) after 1st July: – Telephone: 0300 060 3900
– Email: [email protected]
• Don’t forget to subscribe to our e-alert. Email [email protected].