GR3: Floristically enhanced seed mix for grassland habitat

This item is part of Higher Tier Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Higher Tier capital grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£890.02 per hectare (ha)

How this item benefits the environment

It helps to create and restore species-rich grassland habitats with a wide range of important plant species. Many other species such as bees, butterflies, birds or bats will also benefit. Using this item will not disturb buried archaeological features.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item to create or restore a species-rich grassland priority habitat. You must have the approval of your Natural England adviser.

You can only use it with GR1: Create or restore grassland habitat.

What you must do to use this item

With the written agreement of your adviser, you must:

• obtain a wildflower-rich seed mix, green hay from a local donor site, or plug plants (or a combination of these)
• use wildflower seed of native British origin
• follow your implementation plan or feasibility study (if applicable)

Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide on request.

• any relevant consents or permissions
• receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• a record of the seed mix, green hay or plug plants used
• a copy of the advice from your adviser
• your feasibility study or implementation plan (if applicable)

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

Actions you can use with this item

You can use with Sustainable Farming Incentive action GRH6: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland (endorsed).

You can use this item with these Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier management actions:

• CGS18: Manage species-rich floodplain meadows
• CGS19: Manage wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
• CGS20: Manage wet grassland for breeding waders
• CGS22: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

You should use this item on sites where you’re establishing a species-rich priority habitat. It’s most appropriate for the species-rich grassland and floodplain meadows actions.

You can use it with the wet grassland actions only where there’s good potential (check your chosen grassland base action for an explanation of ‘good potential’) to establish a species-rich priority habitat as well as providing habitat for birds.

You can use either a seed mix or green hay source. You can also utilise plug plants, usually in addition to seed or green hay. The soil type and target habitat will influence the seed mix you use. It should consist of species common in your area.

Wildflower seeds and plug plants should be of native British origin and sourced locally where possible. Grass seed should only be native British grass species. [CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier [ha]: hectares