CSAM3

Establish and maintain a herbal ley with a seed mix containing at least one grass, two legume, and two herb or wildflower species. You must minimise nitrogen fertiliser use and must not use pesticides, except for specific weed control or to re-establish the ley.

The herbal ley must be established by early autumn within the first 12 months of the action's start date. It needs to be maintained until the end of the second summer after sowing, then re-established and maintained until the action's end date.

The method is flexible, as long as the mandatory requirements are followed and the action is performed in a way that can be reasonably expected to achieve its aim.

You must keep evidence to show what you’ve done to complete this action, such as:

• field operations at a land parcel level and associated invoices, including details of the seed mix used
• photographs or other documentation

If it’s not clear that you’ve done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, we may ask for this evidence. You must supply the evidence if we ask for it.

Guidance is provided on selecting a high-quality seed mix beyond the minimum requirements, adhering to buffer strip rules near hedgerows, and managing the ley through grazing or cutting. A rest period of about 5 weeks between early May and late July is suggested to benefit pollinators.