Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this option is to benefit areas of ancient wood pasture by maintaining open-grown ancient and veteran trees and encourage regeneration by managing the grazing of the open pasture beneath, or enhance and preserve the habitat by planting replacement trees.

Other wood pasture, for example existing wood pasture on unimproved grassland or recently created wood pasture is also covered by this option.

Ancient and veteran trees provide a valuable and rare habitat for a variety of wildlife, including pollinators, lichens and mosses and have landscape value. Wood pasture habitat provides shade and shelter for livestock and provides climate, nature and soil health benefits.

Grassland that has ancient wood pasture or other established wood pasture which is grazed at any part of the year by livestock is eligible.

Recently created wood pasture with native trees from the agreed list (see supporting guidance), which is grazed at any part of the year by livestock, may be eligible for funding. Please consult NatureScot prior to submitting an application to check whether the site is eligible.

You should not include areas of land covering rocks, scree, water, dense bracken etc. We will check this using the same approach we use to check land for the Basic Payment Scheme.

Assessing your land eligibility

This option is available throughout Scotland.

For ancient wood pasture, you must provide evidence that veteran trees are currently present and have been present on the site for at least 150 years. The area must be marked as wood pasture on 1st edition six inch 1860 maps.

National Library of Scotland - Maps

For all wood pasture, you must identify on a map the location, and provide photographs of the area to be managed.

For recently created wood pasture, you must provide details of the tree species planted, the stocking density of trees and a description of the underlying sward.

In addition:

• you must graze the area subject to payment with cattle and/or sheep and adhere to an approved grazing regime defining the livestock units and dates

Use the standard template below:

You must manage the same location and extent each year for the duration of your contract.

• do not cut or remove any standing or fallen deadwood, unless with prior written notification
• do not plough, cultivate or reseed the area
• do not carry out supplementary livestock feeding on the managed area
• do not spray, except for the spot-treatment of injurious weeds (requires prior written notification) or treatment of invasive species (requires prior written approval)
• you must maintain a diary

You can claim £48.99 per hectare per year.

There are separate capital items to support management of ancient wood pasture:

• Replacement or Planting of Individual Trees Within Ancient Wood Pasture or Hedgerows
• Post and Rail Tree Guards

The inspectors will check:

• you have managed the same area each year for the duration of your contract
• you have grazed the area subject to payment with cattle or sheep and adhered to an approved grazing regime defining the livestock units and dates
• you have not cut or removed any standing or fallen deadwood, unless with prior written notification
• you have not ploughed, cultivated or resown the area
• you have not carried out supplementary livestock feeding on the managed area
• you have not sprayed, unless with prior written notification or approval as appropriate
• you have maintained a diary

Supporting guidance is available for this option.

Section	Change
Whole page	Minor text edits
Aim	Text added, Other wood pasture, for example existing wood pasture on unimproved grassland or recently created wood pasture is also covered by this option.
Eligibility	Other established wood pasture is now eligible. Text added, Recently created wood pasture with native trees from the agreed list (see supporting guidance), which is grazed at any part of the year by livestock, may be eligible for funding. Please consult NatureScot prior to submitting an application to check whether the site is eligible.
Application requirements	Text added, For recently created wood pasture, you must provide details of the tree species planted, the stocking density of trees and a description of the underlying sward. Grazing Management Plan template and text moved from management requirements to application requirements.

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