£105.00
per hectare
·
yearly
info Summary
This Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier supplement, WS1, provides £105 per hectare per year for effective deer control and management in woodlands. It aims to reduce deer browsing impacts, improve woodland diversity and resilience, and ensure sustainable deer populations where they threaten semi-natural woodlands, regeneration, or woodland features.
format_list_bulleted What to do
- Produce a Deer Management Plan (DMP) in collaboration with your local Deer Officer/Woodland Officer, informed by a baseline deer habitat impact and activity assessment.
- Commence erecting additional deer monitoring exclosures in year 1, with number and location agreed with the Deer Officer/Woodland Officer.
- Carry out agreed levels of culling activity as specified in your DMP.
- Provide a report showing annual habitat impact assessments in significant woodland habitats, including a graded impact summary and photographic evidence.
schedule When to do
- Submit your Deer Management Plan (DMP) by the end of year 1.
- Commence erecting deer monitoring exclosures in year 1, and send photographic evidence in years 1, 3, and 5.
- Provide culling activity evidence and cull returns annually.
- Carry out habitat impact assessments in year 1 (as soon as possible), year 3, and year 5.
checklist How to do
- Use the provided Deer Management Plan (DMP) Guide and template to create your DMP in agreement with your local Deer/Woodland Officer.
- Inform your DMP with a baseline deer habitat impact and activity assessment.
- Erect monitoring exclosure plots following Forestry Commission operations note 59 specifications, agreeing location and number with your officer.
- Provide culling evidence and cull returns annually using the Forestry Commission operations note guidance and template.
- Conduct annual habitat impact assessments using the provided guidance and templates, including a graded summary and photographic evidence.
description Evidence Required
You must send the following with your application:
- a draft DMP - send this with your initial application documents
You must send the following in the first year of your agreement:
- a DMP in place by the end of the first year
- a record of the number of deer culled
- deer habitat impact assessments
- exclosure plot reports
You must send the following in the third and fifth year of your agreement:
- monitoring reports of the agreement to confirm progress (for example, providing before and after photographs, a record of the number of deer culled and the results of deer monitoring)
You must keep the following records and supply them on request:
- a Forestry Commission approved management plan that justifies the need for this option
- a DMP
- monitoring reports to confirm progress of the agreement (for example providing before and after photographs, a record of the number of deer culled and the results of deer monitoring)
- evidence of activities undertaken through monitoring, photography and marking
- any bank statements, receipted invoices, consents, or permissions connected with the work
- records of all management activity on the option area for each parcel, including an operational site assessment (or similar) to show UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant operational activities
tips_and_updates Additional Advice
- Start all agreed actions in your initial deer plan in year 1, with cull records from January and habitat impact/exclosure monitoring from spring.
- Deer Officers will publish and maintain templates, and offer support, advice, and awareness sessions on deer management and habitat impact monitoring.
- Find further guidance and templates in Management Requirements for Woodland Supplement WS1 – Deer Control and Management: operations note 59.
- Contact your local deer officer/woodland officer for specialist advice.
View Official Guidelines
Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website