CSP15: Invasive plant species control and management (upper rate)

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance before you apply.

Duration

5 years

How much you’ll be paid

£380 per hectare (ha) per year

There are 3 payment rates available to manage invasive plant species:

• lower (£140 per ha) available in CSP13
• intermediate (£230 per ha) available under CSP14
• upper (£380 per ha)

You’ll need a species management plan to apply for this action. Your Natural England adviser will tell you which payment rate you’re eligible for based on:

• the species you’re controlling – if it needs different management approaches across significant periods of time (for example, regular chemical spraying, plus mechanical pulling), you may be eligible for the higher payment rate
• your location – if a site is hard to access (for example it might be on a steep slope or include fast flowing water), you may be eligible for the higher payment rate

Species eligible for this payment rate (as standard) include:

• New Zealand pygmy weed (Crassula helmsii)
• water primrose (Ludwigia peploides, Ludwigia grandiflora)
• sour fig species (Carpobrotus edulis, Carpobrotus acinaciformis, Carpobrotus deliciosus, Carpobrotus glaucescens)
• bamboo species (Pyhllostachys species, Psuedosasa species)

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to control invasive non-native plant species which are harmful to the environment.

The purpose is to support the restoration and maintenance of priority habitat and species by removing invasive non-native plants.

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible land:

• where invasive non-native species are having a negative effect on priority habitats or species or could spread
• located above and below the moorland line

You can only do this action if you have a species management plan agreed with Natural England or Forestry Commission.

You cannot do this action to control native invasive species such as injurious weeds, bracken, gorse, rush infestations, brambles or nettles.

You should do this action on the same land as a habitat creation or management action. You must get approval from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer to do this action if you’re not doing another habitat creation or management action on site.

Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:

• an eligible land type
• registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
• declared with a land use code which is compatible with the eligible land cover

Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in the land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:

• control the invasive species using methods agreed with your adviser
• allow native vegetation to re-establish on cleared sites
• monitor and record the impact of the invasive species control activity in years 1, 3 and 5 of your agreement (for example before and after photographs and the results of monitoring)

You must send a species management plan with your application.

When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:

• monitoring reports to show impact of the invasive species control activity
• bank statements, receipted invoices, consents, or permissions connected with the work

• records of management activity on the action area for each parcel, including an operational site assessment (or similar) to show your woodland operations are compliant with the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS)

• photographic evidence of your monitoring of sites

Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:

• CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4
• SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
• SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
• CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)

Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:

• a species management plan agreed with the Forestry Commission or Natural England
• consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
• Scheduled Monument Consent from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
• to follow relevant guidance and legislation on treatment and disposal of invasive non-native plants

You may need to:

• get advice from your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
• get a wildlife licence from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat

All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan, species management plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply for capital grants plans funding.

You can also apply for capital items to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

Managing invasive non-native plant species

Invasive non-native species (INNS) are one of the top threats to biodiversity. INNS spread quickly and outcompete native vegetation. Some can destabilise riverbanks, built structures and surfaces. Some are poisonous to humans and animals.

You can apply for capital items to get invasive non-native plant species under control, then use this action to continually manage them.

Follow your species management plan

Your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer will agree the contents of your PA7: Species management plan.

Your plan will include measures to prevent the spread or transfer of the invasive non-native species from your site. Depending on the species and site, you’ll use an appropriate control method:

• chemical removal using an appropriate herbicide
• mechanical or manual removal

Using agreed methods, reduce the cover and density of non-native invasive species or eradicate the species from the site. Manage the remaining vegetation (for example by grazing or cutting) to reduce the chances of invasive plants spreading back. This will allow locally characteristic plant communities and the species they support to spread and colonise the site.

Use the non-native species identification sheets if you’re unsure of plant species.

You cannot use this action to control invasive native species, such as:

• injurious weeds
• gorse
• rush infestations
• brambles
• nettles
• bracken – use capital item SB4, SB5 or CSP3

For invasive non-native rhododendron – control by using capital item SB6 or CSP12.

Follow legislation on invasive plant species

Have regard for the rules and good practice relevant to the control and disposal of invasive non-native plants. [CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier  [ha]: hectare  [RPA]: Rural Payments Agency  [UKFS]: UK Forestry Standard  [SFI]: Sustainable Farming Incentive  [CS]: Countryside Stewardship  [HS2]: High Speed 2 (rail project)  [ES]: Environmental Stewardship  [SSSI]: Site of Special Scientific Interest  [HEFER]: Historic Environment Farm Environment Record