Introduction
The aim of this Option is to provide protection for Corncrakes.
What this will achieve
This Option will create or maintain the conditions necessary for Corncrakes to nest and raise broods, including providing tall vegetation cover throughout the summer. Other Biodiversity Action Plan (BAP) species that may benefit includes the Brown Hare. Other bird species that may benefit include Curlew and Meadow Pipit.
What you can do
Requirements
- This Option must be carried out in combination with one of the following:
- areas of cover suitable for Corncrakes to nest and raise broods will be established by excluding stock from hay or silage fields from 15 May
- you must not roll, harrow or graze the fields from 15 May until after mowing. Where ground nests are present before 15 May, the nests should be marked and avoided
- these areas must be cut but cutting must be delayed until after 1 August (Option 1), 15 August (Option 2) or 1 September (Option 3) to ensure that most chicks are old enough to escape from the mower. The later cutting Options will receive a higher payment
- to minimise the risk of injury to young birds, you must cut the hay and silage in a wildlife-friendly manner
- the same field need not be chosen each year where you rotate winter keep production around the grassland area. However, if this is the case, you will need to provide details to the Scottish Government of the different fields and their locations and areas in your application. If, during the lifetime of your plan you agree a different rotation to that originally approved, the area upon which the annual management payment is calculated will be restricted to either the originally approved area or the revised area, whichever is smaller
- a strip of uncut grass 2m wide must be left around the field boundary and pesticides must not be applied to this strip.
Who can apply
All managers of land within Argyll Islands, Skye, Small Isles, Western Isles, Orkney and parts of the North Sutherland and the West Argyll coast that support Corncrake populations are eligible to apply for this Option.
Eligibility criteria
The Option is available for grassland fields used for extensive hay or silage production. The fields must be next to one of the following:
- an area entered into the Management of Cover for Corncrakes Option, or Creation and Management of Cover for Corncrakes Option
- an area entered into the Wild birdseed/Unharvested Crops Option
- an area entered into the Grazed Grassland for Corncrakes Option.
Land receiving payments for similar management under other agri-environment schemes is not eligible under this Option.
What costs could be supported
For a comprehensive list of Capital Items click here. Any cost claimed must be fully justified. The following are examples of what may be claimed:
When completing your Proposal, you can select the appropriate capital item(s) from the dropdown list of standard cost capital items for this Option.
In addition to the above capital items, financial support of up to 100% of eligible actual costs is available in respect of the following:
Please note that these capital items will not appear in the dropdown list of Standard Cost capital items for this Option 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.
Rate of support
This is a 5-year commitment. We will pay £271 per hectare per year for Option 1, £381 per hectare for Option 2 and £691 per hectare for Option 3. We will pay at the end of each year.
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:
- Option is being carried out in combination with one of the other Corncrake Options or the Wild Bird Seed Mix/Unharvested Crop Option
- Field has not been rolled, harrowed or grazed from 15 May
- Field is mown after the agreed mowing date in a wildlife-friendly manner
- Presence of 2 m uncut strip(s)
- Claimed capital items have been completed to approved amounts and scheme standards
List of links to relevant technical guidance