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THE RURAL STEWARDSHIP SCHEME Prescriptions for Arable
Areas 24. Introduction or Retention of Extensive Cropping
| Aim: To increase the conservation value
of arable land within the Less Favoured Area by supporting traditional cropping
rotations that will provide cover and feeding areas for birds. Some
BAP species that may benefit: Skylark, Corn bunting, Song thrush. Eligible
sites: A site comprising arable land or improved grassland in the Less
Favoured Areas which does not exceed 4 hectares and subject to a maximum area
per undertaking of 8 hectares | Management Requirements:
- Ploughing, cultivations and the spreading of fertiliser may only
take place between 28 February and 15 May*. Exceptionally, for root
crops, cultivations may be carried out after 15 May; any nests located to be marked
and avoided,
* This date will be altered if AAPS date altered.
OR If fodder rape or similar crop is grown, cultivations may take
place later in the year to establish the crop; following cropping, the area should
not be ploughed or cultivated before 31 May in the following year. - Pesticides
may be applied only with the prior written agreement of Scottish Ministers. There
will be a maximum allowance of 250 kg of compound fertiliser per hectare.
- Premium
Payment
The management regime outlined above is applied on the
same site for a period of at least 3 years. In the final year of this arable rotation,
a cereal crop will be undersown with grass. The undersown crop will be subject
to the usual management which must be maintained throughout the following season.
If rolling of the grass crop is necessary, this should be carried out before 15
March. The undersown crop may be grazed or cut for hay or silage.
| Tree sparrow |
box 3.17 |
| 
Tree
Sparrow
Photo: Andrew Hay (RSPB Images)
| The tree
sparrow, despite its name, is not dependent upon trees. It is usually found on
cultivated land where patches of trees are present. Tree sparrows often nest in
holes in mature trees although they will build nests in hedges and bushes and
will readily use a nest box. From the 1970s to the 1990s, the tree sparrow population
declined across Britain by 85% and its breeding range contracted significantly
over the same period. The adults feed on seeds, taking both grain and weed
seed, while chicks are fed mainly on invertebrates. Thus many of the prescriptions
in the Rural Stewardship Scheme will benefit the tree sparrow. However, it may
be necessary to ombine two or more prescriptions in order to provide the bird's
nesting and feeding requirements within a given area. Prescriptions
2, 6, 8, 20, 21,
24 and 25 can all benefit the tree sparrow, particularly
during the spring and summer. . In addition, leaving areas of crops unharvested
crop, especially if weedy (Prescription 26), will increase
greatly over-winter survival rates. Fodder brassicas and cereal stubbles are also
important in this respect. | Also... - Traditional
cropping rotations may comprise spring cereals, root crops and fodder rape.
- The
aim is to maintain a similar area of cropped land in each year of the plan although
minor adjustments to this area can be made to allow for differences in field sizes.
SERAD need to be given details at application stage of the fields to be 'rotated'
in this way, i.e. Field Identifiers and area measurements.
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