Countryside Management Scheme- upland options
Godfrey McRoberts, Countryside Management Branch, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD)
The Countryside Management Scheme opened for applications on14 February 2005 and closes on Friday 11 March 2005.
Within the Countryside Management Scheme area payments are available for both heather moorland and rough moorland grazing, in addition to an overall whole farm payment. To date over 40,000 ha of heather moorland are being positively managed by farmers in agri-environment schemes throughout the uplands areas of Northern Ireland.
Scheme participants with heather moorland are required to follow an agreed grazing and management plan.
The grazing plan sets an upper limit on livestock numbers for the period 1 March to 31 October each year, depending on the type of heather moorland present, that is, dry heath, wet heath or blanket bog.
During the period 1 November to 28/29 February each year livestock must be removed from all heather moorland areas. This reduces the damage caused to heather by winter grazing and allows heather to recover.
Areas of rough moorland grazing can be grazed throughout the year at a set grazing rate or can receive a higher payment if managed as degraded heath by reducing both numbers of grazing animals and the grazing period to increase heather cover.
Your current farming system may be affected by the scheme conditions and you may need to make some adjustments to stock management.
For example, do you have sufficient land to graze stock removed from heather moorland during the winter period, do you have housing or could you off winter stock in lowland areas?
Many upland farms have areas of heather moorland, which are often over mature and have a low feed value to both livestock and wildlife, such as Red Grouse.
Such areas can be regenerated and improved by either burning or flailing to increase the amount of young heather available for grazing. Funding for heather regeneration and bracken control is available within the Countryside Management Scheme.
Additional funding is also available for the restoration of field boundaries including traditional dry stonewalls.
As an example, an upland farm of 100 hectares would receive the following annual payments, based on the land classification below.
| Land Classification | Annual Payment | |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ha of whole farm payment | at £20/ha | £2,000 |
| 50 ha of heather moorland | at £50/ha | £2,500 |
| 20 ha of rough moorland grazing | at £45/ha | £ 900 |
| 20 ha of unimproved grassland | at £50/ha | £1,000 |
| Total Annual Management Payment | £6,400 |
(Note that payment rates listed above are subject to EU approval).
Over the ten-year period of the scheme the example farm above would realise a total payment of £64,000.
Further information and application forms can be obtained from locally based Countryside Management Branch staff.
Reminder: Applications for the Countryside Management Scheme close on Friday 11 March 2005