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How much will be paid

471 per hectare (ha).

How long the option lasts

This option will last for 10 years, instead of the standard 5 years for the grant scheme.

Where to use this option

It is available for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier on whole and part-parcels only on:

• traditional orchards (apple, pear, cherry, plum, damson or cobnut plats) where less than one-third of the original stations are occupied by trees over 25 years old
• sites with evidence (such as maps or photographs) that a traditional orchard was once there - this includes sites currently under arable cultivation
• sites where creation extends, links or buffers existing areas of a traditional orchard

Features that can be included in this option

You can include the following features if they are part of the parcel, even if they are not eligible for the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS).

• ditches
• drains
• dykes
• rivers and streams (boundary or internal

The features must be less than 4m wide for the majority of their length in the parcel.

How this option will benefit the environment

If successful there will be a well-managed traditional orchard with a range of healthy young and old trees. This includes established grass, tall bushy hedges, scrub and tall herb vegetation abundant with invertebrates, birds and wildflowers.

Requirements

You must:

• establish and then manage grassland by grazing or hay cutting
• maintain the characteristic tree form by pruning
• restore tree numbers
• protect trees from damage by livestock
• keep and protect all mature and over-mature standing trees
• keep some standing deadwood and some deadwood on living trees
• control scrub and invasive species

Do not:

• plough, cultivate or re-seed
• roll or harrow
• use any manures, fertilisers, pesticides or supplementary feed

Keeping records

On your annual claim must declare that you have not carried out any activities prohibited by the option requirements.

You must keep the following records and supply them on request:

• receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work
• records of all management activity on the option area for each parcel
• dates and locations of formative or maintenance pruning carried out for each parcel
• a base map or table showing the location, species, rootstock, variety and age class of trees present in each parcel
• a monthly record of stock numbers grazing each parcel
• if managing by hay cutting, photographs of the areas cut and uncut in each parcel
• photographs of cut areas of scrub
• photographs of each tree and all standing deadwood entered into the option

The detailed requirements for this option will be tailored to the Higher Tier site. You should discuss and agree these requirements with your adviser.

Related options

You can locate these options and supplements on the same area as this option:

• BE6 Veteran tree surgery
• BE7 - Supplement for restorative pruning of fruit trees
• ED1 - Educational access
• GS15 - Haymaking supplement
• OR1 - Organic conversion - improved permanent grassland
• OR2 - Organic conversion unimproved permanent grassland
• OR5 - Organic conversion - top fruit
• OT1 - Organic land management - improved permanent grassland
• OT2 - Organic land management - unimproved permanent grassland
• OT5 - Organic land management - top fruit
• SP1 - Difficult sites supplement
• SP3 - Bracken control supplement
• SP4 - Control of invasive plant species supplement
• SP8 - Native breeds at risk supplement
• SP9 - Threatened species supplement

Advice and suggestions for how to carry out this option

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

Traditional orchards

Traditional orchards are defined as groups of fruit and nut trees planted on vigorous rootstocks at low densities in permanent grassland, and managed in a low intensity way. This includes cobnut plats.

Preventing weeds

Prevent weeds from competing with newly planted trees for water and nutrients. Keep a 1m diameter circle clear of all vegetation for at least the first 3 years after planting.

Biodiversity

This option has been identified as being beneficial for biodiversity. All Countryside Stewardship habitat creation, restoration and management options are of great significance for biodiversity recovery, as are the wide range of arable options in the scheme. Capital items and supplements can support this habitat work depending on the holdings situation and potential.

The connectivity of habitats is also very important and habitat options should be linked wherever possible. Better connectivity will allow wildlife to move/colonise freely to access water, food, shelter and breeding habitat, and will allow natural communities of both animals and plants to adapt in response to environmental and climate change.

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Higher Tier including how to apply.