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THE RURAL STEWARDSHIP SCHEME

Section 3 Prescriptions for Small Units

3.1 Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures for Small Units

3.1.1 When is a Conservation Plan with Special Measures required?

This Special Measures Plan will be required if you are adopting either of the RSS Small Units options: Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures for Small Units and Retention or introduction of Cattle of native or traditional breed(s). If you are undertaking to retain cows of native or traditional breeds on or introduce them to your business under the Scheme, you must also adopt the other Small Units prescription.

3.1.2 What does the Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures involve?

The Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures goes further than the Environmental Audit. The Environmental Audit will identify all of the habitats and features that occur on the unit or units within your business and specify those that are to be managed under the Scheme. The Conservation Management Plan with Special Measures, Section I of the Prescriptions for Small Units, gathers details of how you propose to manage all of the habitats and features identified on the EA Descriptive Map in order to encourage the development of a mosaic of habitats across the unit or units and to enhance wildlife diversity by doing so. You are also asked to state what benefits to these habitats, species and landscape features will result by undertaking the measures described in this Plan.

3.2 Retention or Introduction of Cattle of Native or Traditional Breed

3.2.1 How do I apply for this measure?

You must complete Section II of the Prescriptions for Small Units application form. You are asked to state the number of the breeding cows of native or traditional Scottish breed in your herd on the day prior to submission of your application and to state the number of breeding cows of traditional or native breed (if any) you are undertaking to introduce to the unit or units within your business by the end of the first plan year.

3.2.2 What undertakings are involved when I adopt this measure?

If your business supports two or more breeding cows of traditional or native breed on entry into the RSS, you must undertake to retain at least the same number of these animals in your herd for the lifetime of the Plan.

If, on application to join the Scheme, you either do not have a herd of breeding cows or the existing herd has only one or no dams of either purebred or first cross native or traditional stock, you will be required to ensure that your business runs two or more breeding cows of traditional or native breed(s) by the end of the first plan year. In order to be considered a breeding cow, the cow must form part of a herd either used for rearing calves for meat production or used for milk production and has borne a calf.

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