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WS3

Squirrel control and management

CS Higher Tier open_in_new View on RPA Website

£60.00

per hectare · yearly

info Summary

This Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier supplement provides £60 per hectare per year for managing invasive grey squirrel populations to protect native woodland and support red squirrel populations. Participants must develop a Squirrel Control Plan, undergo training, and carry out agreed culling activities, providing regular evidence of impact and effort.

format_list_bulleted What to do

  • Produce a Squirrel Control Plan (SCP) with your officer and submit it by year 1.
  • Take part in Grey Squirrel control training.
  • Erect agreed traps and carry out agreed culling activities.
  • Provide an impact/activity survey to the Forestry Commission at the end of Years 1, 3 and 5.

schedule When to do

  • Email your Squirrel Control Plan (SCP) to your officer by the end of year 1.
  • Start all agreed SCP actions, culling, and cull records from January of year 1.
  • Ensure squirrel habitat impact assessment and monitoring reports are in place by the end of year 1.
  • Submit impact/activity surveys to the Forestry Commission at the end of Years 1, 3 and 5.

checklist How to do

description Evidence Required

Application stage:

  • supply a draft SCP with your initial application documents

You must send the following in the first year of your agreement:

  • a SCP by the end of year 1 of your agreement
  • a record of the number of squirrels culled
  • a squirrel habitat impact assessment

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 squirrels culled and the results of squirrel monitoring

You must keep the following records and supply them on request:

  • 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
  • a Forestry Commission approved management plan that justifies the need for this option
  • a SCP
  • evidence of activities undertaken through monitoring, photography and marking

tips_and_updates Additional Advice

  • Ensure your SCP is approved and agreed with your local Deer Officer/Woodland Officer, in addition to P2016 under WD2.
  • Expect all agreed SCP actions to start in year 1.
  • Begin cull and cull records from January of year 1.
  • Have squirrel habitat impact assessment and monitoring reports in place by the end of year 1.

View Official Guidelines

Access detailed information about this action on the RPA website

open_in_new Visit RPA Website

info Additional Information

WS3: Squirrel control and management

How much will be paid

£60 per hectare (ha)

Where to use this supplement

It’s available for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier on whole or part parcels.

If you include this as part of your Higher Tier application, the Forestry Commission will assess your application for this option before you are offered an agreement.

How this supplement will benefit the environment

Effective use of this supplement will:

  • limit tree damage and support red squirrel populations (where present)
  • increase control of invasive species
  • support conservation of composition of native woodland

Aims

To manage the population of invasive grey squirrels and help increase the population of native red squirrels.

Requirements

  • Work with your deer officer/woodland officer to produce a Squirrel Control Plan (SCP) outlining the activities you will carry out. To secure the annual funding for this supplement you must email your SCP to your local deer officer/woodland officer by the end of year 1. Your SCP will build on the draft plan that you submit with your Initial Application documents
  • Take part in Grey Squirrel control training – your local deer officer/woodland officer will discuss these courses with you
  • Erect an agreed number of traps within your woodland as shown in your SCP
  • Carry out agreed levels of culling activity as agreed with your deer officer/woodland officer in your SCP. Using the annual cull and effort record provide evidence of culling activity and cull returns and photographic evidence of squirrels killed to the deer officer/woodland officer annually, following the guidance provided in Forestry Commission operations note 60
  • Provide an impact/activity survey to show annual impact, using the activity and Impact Methodology document for guidance, and submit to the Forestry Commission at the end of Years 1, 3 and 5

Keeping records

Application stage:

  • supply a draft SCP with your initial application documents

You must send the following in the first year of your agreement:

  • a SCP by the end of year 1 of your agreement
  • a record of the number of squirrels culled
  • a squirrel habitat impact assessment

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 squirrels culled and the results of squirrel monitoring

You must keep the following records and supply them on request:

  • 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
  • a Forestry Commission approved management plan that justifies the need for this option
  • a SCP
  • evidence of activities undertaken through monitoring, photography and marking

More advice and guidance

As well as P2016 under WD2 (baseline option), you must have a SCP approved and agreed with your local Deer Officer/Woodland Officer.

We expect all actions agreed in your initial SCP to start in year 1. Cull and cull records should start from January of year 1. Squirrel habitat impact assessment and squirrel monitoring reports should be in place by the end of year 1.

Read more information about Controlling grey squirrels in forests and woodlands in the UK.

More information

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

Questions about WS3?

Ask Tom anything about this subsidy, eligibility, evidence requirements, or compatibility with other actions.