Introduction
This Option offers support for providing supplementary food to Golden Eagles and Hen Harriers at sites designated as Special Protection Areas (SPAs) for these birds.
What this will achieve
Supplementary feeding, when combined with other management Options, will benefit Golden Eagle and Hen Harrier populations on SPAs helping to secure the favourable condition of these species. Hen Harrier feeding is also intended to reduce Hen Harrier predation on Grouse, thus reducing conflict with Grouse moor management.
What you can do
This Option has two elements:
1. Supplementary food provision for Hen Harriers.
2. Provision of deer carcasses for Golden Eagles.
Requirements
1. Supplementary food provision for Raptors: Hen Harriers
- You must agree with SNH the number and location of Hen Harrier nests for which supplementary food will be provided. Ideally, this would be for all the nests on your SPA land.
- You must check feeding posts and provide food in the nesting area on a daily basis, in accordance with the practice described in "Substitute Feeding of Hen Harriers on Grouse Moors" (Moorland Working Group 1999).
Feeding will be carried out for 100 days, covering both the pre-nesting period as well as the breeding season. The start-date for feeding is the date that the birds arrive on territory. This date will be agreed on a site-by-site basis. However, if a nest should fall within the 100-day period, then feeding should cease (subject to agreement by SNH) and payments will be reduced accordingly.
You must:
- agree the start date for feeding at each site
- check feeding posts on a daily basis
- purchase appropriate food and ensure that it is appropriately stored
- retain purchase receipts for inspection
- record the work undertaken using the recording forms provided and identify on a map the sites where feeding has taken place.
2. Supplementary Food Provision for Raptors: Golden Eagles
- This element will only be available where there is an identified need, endorsed by SNH
- You must leave either 1 or 2 deer carcasses on the hill each month for 4 months (November-February). A simple plan will be drawn up and agreed with the Scottish Government/ SNH outlining the number of carcasses to be left and how and where carcasses will be left
- The work must be undertaken in conjunction with existing hind culls and in accordance with best practice guidelines and all relevant legislation. It is not an incentive to cull additional deer
- You must keep a record of the work undertaken, giving the dates and showing where carcasses were left and retain these records for inspection.
Who can apply
This Option will have restricted availability:
- Available within SPAs which have breeding Hen Harriers as a qualifying interest. You can apply for this element if your Moorland Management Plan identifies a conflict between Grouse moor management and Hen Harrier predation of Grouse chicks.
- Available within Golden Eagle SPAs but only where this is expected to be beneficial to the Golden Eagle population, as agreed by SNH.
Eligibility criteria
Land receiving payments for similar management under other agri-environment schemes is not eligible under this Option.
Rate of support
This is a 5-year commitment. We will pay at the end of each year.
Supplementary food provision for Hen Harriers: £1,076 per nest per year.
Supplementary food provision for Golden Eagles: £32 per carcass.
What costs can be supported
Financial support of up to 100% of eligible actual costs is available in respect of the following:
Please note that this capital item will not appear in a dropdown list of Standard Cost capital items and will need to be entered manually in the box for Actual Cost capital items. Only costs for the types of capital works listed above should be entered in the Actual Cost capital items box for this Option. Any other costs entered cannot be considered for funding.
To ensure value for money we require you to provide 2 competitive quotes for any capital items applied for which are based on actual cost. If, however, you are seeking grant support towards something so specialised it is only available through 1 source then we would accept 1 quote. Please see the guidance on quotes and estimates for more information.
Inspections/verification
The inspector will check the requirements (as detailed above under 'what you can do') of the Option are being met, by a visual assessment on the day of inspection.
Beneficiaries must comply with the requirements of cross compliance and the minimum requirements for fertiliser and plant protection products. You must also comply with the requirements to avoid damaging any features of historic or archaeological interest, and follow Scottish Ministers' guidance for the protection of such areas or features (detailed in links below).
The following is a brief overview of the inspection procedures, for a full explanation please see links below:
Inspectors will check:
- Agreement with SNH on the location and number of feed sites
- Map showing feeding site locations
- Records of work undertaken
- Purchase receipts for feed for Hen Harriers
- Purchased food is suitable and stored correctly
List of links to relevant technical guidance