GS16: Rush infestation control supplement

How much will be paid

£95 per hectare (ha).

Where to use this supplement

• Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier
• Only on:
  • permanent grassland
  • on a single parcel of land with continuous rush cover of more than 50% of the parcel
  • only on a single parcel for a maximum of 3 years

Options to use with this supplement

This supplement must be used with one of the following options.

• GS2 - Permanent grassland with very low inputs (outside SDAs)
• GS5 - Permanent grassland with very low inputs in SDAs
• GS6 - Management of species rich grassland
• GS7 - Restoration towards species rich grassland (Higher Tier only)
• GS9 - Management of wet grassland for breeding waders
• GS10 - Management of wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
• GS13 - Management of grassland of target features (Higher Tier only)
• UP2 - Management of rough grazing for birds

Related supplements

This supplement can be located on the same area as the following supplements.

• GS15 – Haymaking supplement
• SP6 - Cattle grazing supplement

How this option will benefit the environment

This is a short-term incentive to reduce rush cover in parcels with heavy infestations. It will help prevent the loss of botanically rich grasslands or provide nesting areas for breeding wading birds.

Aims

If you’re selected for a site visit, we will check that delivery of the aims is being met and the prohibited activities have not been carried out. This will ensure the environmental benefits are being delivered.

During the spring and summer, grazing and/or cutting will reduce the height and density of rush growth by autumn. By year 3 of the agreement, this will have reduced dense rush growth to less than 30% of the parcel area.

Prohibited activities

To achieve the aims and deliver the environmental benefits, do not carry out any of the following activities:

• cut rushes between 15 March and 15 July

On your annual claim you will be asked to declare that you have not carried out any prohibited activities.

Recommended management

To assist you in achieving the aims and deliver the environmental benefits for this option, we recommend that you use best practice.

We recommend that you:

• graze or cut areas of dense rush growth every year so that rushes are less than 20 centimetres (cm) high by 30 September
• keep bare ground cover at less than 10% by year 2, to reduce the risk of new rushes becoming established
• graze with cattle, as sheep normally avoid grazing rush
• check for breeding birds before operating machinery or carrying out other activities which may disturb breeding birds or damage their nests. The breeding season tends to run from mid-March until mid-July, but it can start earlier and finish later, depending on the species and the weather.

Keeping records

Where there is uncertainty about whether the aims of the options have been delivered, we will take into account any records or evidence you may have kept demonstrating delivery of the aims of the option. This will include any steps you’ve taken to follow the recommended management set out above. It’s your responsibility to keep such records if you want to rely on these to support your claim.

• Field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
• Any sites grazed will require a grazing activity record
• Photographs of management undertaken

Additional guidance and advice

The following advice is helpful, but they are not requirements for this item.

Maintaining rushes

The aim is to reduce heavy infestations of rushes to a cover below 30%. Cover should then be maintained at between 10% and 30%. Also:

• ensure damage to nests or disturbance of chicks is avoided when cutting
• avoid controlling rush where there is standing or flowing water on or close to the surface for most of the year
• avoid cutting areas where rush is growing in association with sphagnum mosses
• graze with cattle, as sheep normally avoid grazing rush
• wherever possible, remove cuttings to prevent low growing plants being smothered

Cutting machinery

The following machines are most appropriate for rush cutting.

• Grass mower trailed by a tractor
• Pasture topper
• Forage harvester

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply.