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CSP20

Edible dormouse control and management

CS Higher Tier open_in_new View on RPA Website

£40.00

per hectare · yearly

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier action focuses on controlling invasive non-native edible dormouse populations to mitigate their detrimental effects on tree bark, fruit crops, and hole-nesting birds, thereby supporting broader habitat and species recovery. It requires annual monitoring, culling, and habitat impact assessments over a 10-year duration.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Set up or identify monitoring sites and carry out baseline monitoring as outlined in your species management plan in year 1
  • Carry out agreed levels of culling set out in your species management plan
  • Carry out habitat impact assessments in years 1, 5 and 10 of your agreement

schedule When to do

  • Do this action each year of its duration.

checklist How to do and evidence required

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:

  • habitat impact assessment reports
  • any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work
  • evidence of culling activity and cull numbers and supported by photographs when requested

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

  • Identify edible dormice using NNSS ID sheets to avoid protected species like hazel dormice.
  • Manage by trapping from May to August using appropriate traps, baiting for 5 days before setting, and checking daily.
  • Dispatch trapped edible dormice humanely using cranial concussion or an approved spring trap.
  • Dispose of carcasses responsibly (incineration or burial), obtaining SSSI permission if applicable.
  • Adhere to the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to prevent unnecessary suffering to trapped animals.

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

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info Additional Information

CSP20: Edible dormouse control and management

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

Duration

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£40 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to control the population of invasive non-native edible dormice.

The purpose is to reduce the effect of edible dormice on, for example, tree bark damage, fruit crops, and hole-nesting birds. This supports habitat and species recovery.

Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible land where invasive edible dormouse are present.

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

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
Eligible land type Eligible land cover Compatible land use code
Arable land used to grow crops Arable land Land use codes for arable crops or leguminous and nitrogen-fixing crops
Temporary grassland Arable land TG01
Land lying fallow Arable land FA01
Permanent crops other than nursery crops and short rotation coppice Permanent crops TC01
Short rotation coppice Permanent crops SR01
Nursery crops Permanent crops NU01
Permanent grassland Permanent grassland PG01
Cliff Coastal features CF01
Vegetated shingle Coastal features CF02
Sand dunes Coastal features CF03
Bracken, heather and heathland Heath land and bracken HE02
Heap Heaps – permanent HE03
Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 2) Inland water IW02
Watercourse – river or stream (Rivers and Streams Type 3) Inland water IW03
Shingle Inland wetland IW05
Fen, marsh and swamp Inland wetland IW06
Bog Inland wetland IW07
Salt marsh Marine wetland MW01
Tidal areas Marine wetland MW02
Reed bed Marine wetland MW03
Intertidal habitats Marine wetland MW04
Saline habitats Marine wetland MW05
Non-agricultural area or feature which is temporary and likely to change over time (ineligible area) Non-agricultural area NA02
Scattered rock Notional features NF01
Scattered bracken or heather Notional features NF02
Scattered scrub Notional features NF03
Scattered water features Notional features NF05
Scattered natural features Notional features NF06
Scattered manmade features Notional features NF07
Scattered features – mixed Notional features NF08
Gallop Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT01
Track – natural surface Natural transport – tracks and gallops NT03
Sports and recreation Recreational land RL03
Golf course Recreational land RL04
Scree Rock RO02
Boulders Rock RO03
Rocky outcrop Rock RO04
Storage area Storage areas SA02
Watercourse – ditch, drain or dyke Water/irrigation features WF01
Pond Water/irrigation features WF03
Woodland Natural woodland WO12
Residential garden Natural woodland WO17
Scrub Natural woodland WO25

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:

  • set up or identify monitoring sites and carry out baseline monitoring as outlined in your species management plan in year 1
  • carry out agreed levels of culling set out in your species management plan
  • carry out habitat impact assessments in years 1, 5 and 10 of your agreement

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:

  • habitat impact assessment reports
  • any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents or permissions connected with the work
  • evidence of culling activity and cull numbers and supported by photographs when requested

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.

Scheme Action or option code
SFI 2024 actions CSAM1, CSAM2, CSAM3, SOH1, SOH2, SOH3, SOH4, AGF1, AGF2, CAHL4, CIGL3, BFS1, BFS2, BFS3, BFS4, BFS5, WBD3, WBD4, WBD5, WBD6, WBD7, WBD8, OFC1, OFC2, OFC3, OFC4, OFC5, OFM1, OFM2, OFM3, OFM4, OFM5, OFM6, OFA1, OFA6, CAHL1, CAHL2, CAHL3, AHW1, AHW3, AHW5, AHW6, AHW7, AHW8, AHW9, AHW10, AHW11, AHW12, CMOR1, UPL1, UPL2, UPL3, UPL7, UPL8, UPL9, UPL10, PRF1, PRF2, PRF3, PRF4, CIGL1, CIGL2, CLIG3, GRH1, GRH6, SCR1, SCR2, HEF5, HEF6, HEF8, CIPM1, CIPM2, CIPM3, CIPM4, CNUM1, CNUM2, CNUM3, GRH2, GRH3, GRH4, HEF4, WOD1, ORH1, COH1
SFI 2023 actions SAM1, SAM2, SAM3, MOR1, IPM1, IPM2, IPM3, IPM4, NUM1, NUM2, NUM3, AHL1, AHL2, AHL3, IGL1, IGL2, AHL4, IGL3, LIG1, LIG2
CSHT actions CGS4, CGS20, CGS19, CGS18, CGS21, CGS22, CGS25, CGS26, CHS2, CUP2, CUP3, CUP8, CUP9, CUP10, CUP11, CUP12, CUP13, CUP14, CWD1, CWD2, CSP13, CSP14, CSP15, CWS1, CWS3, CSP21, CSW24, CSW23, CSW15, CSW16, CSW22, CSW12, CSW25, CSW21, CPAC1, CSW7, CSW8, CSW13, CWD20, CWD22, CWD21, CWD8, CWD7, CSW17, CSW19, CSW18, CSW20, CWT10, CWT14, CWT13, CAGF1, CAGF3, CAGF2, CAGF4, CBE4, CBE5, CCT8, CCT9, CCT2, CCT10, CCT3, CCT4, CCT7, CCT5, CLH1, CLH2, CLH3, CHS3, CHS4, CHS5, CHS6, CHS9, CHS7, CAB18, CAB19, CWT1, CWT2, CAB16, CAB17, CAB5, CAB2, CAB6, CAB7, CAB10, CAB14, CAB11, CWD3
CS options AB1, AB10, AB11, AB14, AB15, AB16, AB2, AB3, AB4, AB5, AB6, AB7, AB8, AB9, BE1, BE2, BE4, BE5, CT1, CT2, CT3, CT4, CT5, CT7, GS1, GS10, GS11, GS12, GS13, GS14, GS2, GS3, GS4, GS5, GS6, GS7, GS8, GS9, HS2, HS3, HS4, HS5, HS6, HS7, HS9, LH1, LH2, LH3, OP1, OP2, OP4, OP5, OR1, OR2, OR3, OR4, OR5, OT1, OT2, OT3, OT4, OT5, OT6, SW1, SW10, SW11, SW12, SW13, SW15, SW16, SW17, SW18, SW2, SW3, SW4, SW5, SW6, SW7, SW8, SW9, UP1, UP2, UP3, WD1, WD10, WD11, WD12, WD2, WD3, WD4, WD5, WD6, WD7, WD8, WT1, WT10, WT2, WT6, WT7, WT8, WT9
ES options N/A

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:

You may also need to get other wildlife licences 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 funding through 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.

About edible dormice

You’ll mostly find edible dormice (Glis glis) around the Chilterns. Occasionally they have been reported in other locations across the country.

They are an invasive non-native species (INNS) found in woodland or orchard settings. They damage tree bark and fruit crops and predate hole-nesting birds.

Use the non-native species secretariat (NNSS) ID sheets to identify edible dormice. Hazel dormice are a protected species, so make sure you identify the correct species. If you are not sure, ask your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

Your species management plan will give details of the management actions you’ve agreed with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer.

Manage by trapping

You can trap edible dormice using wildlife licence CL02. You can:

  • trap from May to August using appropriate traps
  • locate traps in suitable habitat and minimise the risk of capturing non-target species
  • bait the traps for 5 days before they are set – if bait is taken in this period, you can set the trap (if you use whole maize as bait, a mouse will chew the whole kernel, whereas a squirrel will only eat the germ and discard the kernel)
  • move the trap to a more suitable location if bait is not taken after 5 days
  • check the traps each day and release any non-target species as soon as possible – visit more often and consider removing traps in severe weather conditions
  • maintain the health and welfare of any trapped animal

Dispatch and disposal of trapped edible dormice

It is recommended that cranial concussion is used to dispatch any edible dormice caught. An approved spring trap attached to the cage trap may also be used.

If you capture edible dormice in a nest box during hibernation, you can dispatch them in the same way.

Dispose of carcasses responsibly for example, by incineration or burial. If you’re on a site of special scientific interest, you’ll need permission from Natural England before you can dispose of carcasses.

Have regard to legislation and good practice relevant to the actions you carry out, such as the Animal Welfare Act 2006. It is an offence to cause any unnecessary suffering to an animal under the control of man (section 4 of the 2006 Act). This applies to the humane dispatch of captured animals and the treatment of animals held in traps and non-target animals. [CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier  [ha]: hectare  [RPA]: Rural Payments Agency  [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 

Questions about CSP20?

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