CUP2: Manage rough grazing for birds
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-10)

What you must do to get paid for this CSHT action and advice on how to do it.

This action is part of Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT). You must read the CSHT guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) before you apply.

Duration

5 years

How much you’ll be paid

£121 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This aim of this action is to maintain rough grassland so there:
- is a sward that has a range of heights
- are areas of very short grass for bird feeding and nesting from the spring
- are areas of surface water and wet features such as drains, grips or scrapes during autumn and winter
- is a minimal amount of scrub, bracken and dense rush
The purpose of this is to provide habitats for upland breeding birds and other wildlife.

Where you can do this action

You can only do this action on permanent grassland located within a less favoured area (LFA) (https://magic.defra.gov.uk/MagicMap.aspx?&startTopic=GreyRasters&chosenLayers=lfaIndex,baseIndex&box=-1084312:-750975:1884313:2150975&useDefaultbackgroundMapping=false) below the moorland line. The land parcel must be 2ha or more in size and at least one of the following (where agreed with your Natural England adviser):
- designated as upland breeding bird areas (https://magic.defra.gov.uk/magicmap.aspx?&startTopic=GreyRasters&chosenLayers=baseIndex,CSbirdAreas&box=275680:407719:454142:486962&useDefaultbackgroundMapping=false) for Countryside Stewardship on the MAGIC (https://magic.defra.gov.uk/magicmap.aspx) website (priority species for Countryside Stewardship targeting is not eligible)
- adjacent to a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) – you can find this on the MAGIC (https://magic.defra.gov.uk/magicmap.aspx) website
- adjacent to or includes a watercourse
- part of the Nature for Climate Peatland Grant Scheme (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/nature-for-climate-peatland-grant-scheme) – you must be able to provide evidence of this from the relevant Peat Partnership
- located in other areas suitable for upland breeding birds – you must be able to provide evidence of this and agree suitability with your Natural England adviser
Eligible land

You can do this action on land that’s:
- an eligible land type
- registered with an eligible land cover on your digital maps
- declared with a land use code (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/land-use-codes-rural-payments) which is compatible with the eligible land cover
Available area you can enter into this action

Total or part of the available area in a land parcel.

Rotational or static action

This action is static. This means you must do it on the same location each year of the action’s duration.

What to do

Your Natural England adviser will assess your land. They’ll work with you to adapt and agree the activities you must do to achieve this action’s aim. All mandatory activities will be set out in your agreement document.

To get paid for this action, you must:
- graze according to your stocking calendar
- manage wet features to provide muddy and wet areas for wildfowl and wading birds to feed by rotating mechanical maintenance
- allow grazing to the water’s edge
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to:
- control and manage scrub by cutting or grazing to provide appropriate levels of scrub for the grassland habitat
- top or harrow grassland to provide a sward mosaic
- provide areas of bare ground
- maintain cover (not bracken) over historic or archaeological features
- control dense rush by grazing or cutting each year so it covers no more than 20% of the area
- remove livestock from some areas
- carry out any mechanical operations that may disturb breeding or non-breeding birds between July and October
- cut any ungrazed vegetation on a 2-year rotation between August and mid-March
- from year 2 of your agreement, maintain ditch water levels to create areas of standing water
You must not:
- apply fertilisers or manures except when agreed with your Natural England adviser
- apply pesticides – you may be able to use herbicides to spot-treat or weed-wipe for the control of injurious weeds, invasive non-native plant species, nettles or other plants if this has been agreed with your Natural England adviser
- carry out works on water features or ditches between April and the end of August
- supplementary feed except for the use of mineral blocks or other forms of feed if agreed by a Natural England adviser
- carry out any mechanical operations on historic or archaeological features
- allow bracken to spread
- cut bracken between mid-March and mid-July
- erect permanent fencing around any water features
- carry out drainage works without written permission from your Natural England adviser
When to do it

You must do this action each year of its duration.

Evidence to keep

You must keep evidence to show what you have done to complete this action. If it’s not clear that you have done this action in a way that could reasonably be expected to achieve its aim, the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) may ask for this evidence.

You must supply the evidence if they ask for it, including:
- a stocking calendar
- a count of breeding birds in year 5 of the agreement
- photographs of the extent of bracken on the action area before works start
- field operations at the parcel level, including associated invoices
- stock records to show grazing activity on parcels
Other actions or options you can do on the same area as this action

You can do the following actions or options on the same area in a land parcel as this action.

Some actions or options can only be done on the same area if they’re done at a different time of year to this action.

You can do the following actions or options on the eligible boundaries of a land parcel entered into this action:
- CSHT actions: CWT3, CHRW4
- SFI 2024 actions: CHRW1, CHRW2, CHRW3, BND1, BND2, WBD10
- SFI 2023 actions: HRW1, HRW2, HRW3
- CS option BE3 (management of hedgerows)
Consents, permissions and licensing requirements

To apply for this action, you’ll need:
- Scheduled Monument Consent (https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/consents/smc/) from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- consent from Natural England for any activity on land designated as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/protected-areas-sites-of-special-scientific-interest#get-consent-to-carry-out-operations-on-your-land)
You may need to:
- to agree an implementation plan or feasibility study, such as a PA1 or PA2, with your Natural England adviser
- get a wildlife licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wildlife-licences) from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
- get advice from your Forestry Commission woodland officer or Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
All archaeological and historic features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

If you’re a tenant, it’s your responsibility to check whether your tenancy agreement allows you to complete what’s required in the actions you choose. You may need your landlord’s consent.

Capital grants to support this action

If you need to complete an implementation plan or a feasibility study before you apply, you can apply forcapital grants plans funding (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders#capital-grants-plans).

You can also apply for capital items (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/capital-items-guidance-for-applicants-and-agreement-holders) to help you achieve the action’s aims. Your Natural England adviser will discuss eligible capital items with you.

Advice to help you do this action

The following optional advice may help you to do this action. Your agreement document will set out all the activities you must do.

Choosing the right location

Manage rough grazing for birds on sites that:
- are open, with any surrounding hedges less than 2 metres high
- are typically more than 2ha in size
- experience minimal disturbance from footpaths or public rights of way
- have no overhead pylons or power lines
- have no in-field trees
- are not next to woodland
- are not steeper than 14:1 or 8 degrees
- have either an existing high-water table or surface water features such as scrapes, gutters, foot drains, flushes, blocked grips or splash pools or where you can create these
Managing vegetation

Provide a range of vegetation heights with areas of short grass that are usually no more than 5 centimetres high. Upland waders typically benefit most if the area of short grass makes up around half the area of each field.

In the spring and early summer, use quiet and settled stock to graze these sites to avoid unnecessary trampling of nests and chicks. Mature cattle are ideal during this period.

You may find it useful to sometimes have other grazing land available, so you can manage the breeding bird areas flexibly and correctly during the breeding season. Ideally aim for the right number of animals set stocked to provide the right conditions throughout the breeding season.

Manage the vegetation by grazing (and cutting if needed) through late summer, autumn and winter (outside of the bird breeding season). This will help provide the vegetation mosaic needed for the following spring.

Maintaining areas of surface water and wet features

Manage surface water and wet features such as scrapes, flushes and foot drains. They provide muddy areas at the water’s edge for waders to feed.

Ideally aim for about half of the edges of surface water and wet features to have exposed mud at the water’s edge. This will help promote invertebrate activity and allow chicks access to feed.

You may need to re-profile man-made wet features annually and maintain them as needed. Always carry out this work outside the bird breeding season and when conditions are as dry as possible.

Managing scrub, bracken and dense rush

If your target species prefer open areas, you may need to carry out mechanical activities to minimise scrub, bracken and dense rush. Always carry out this work outside the bird breeding season and when conditions are as dry as possible. If you’re using this action for black grouse, some scrub is beneficial.

Manage dense rush, so soft and hard rushes cover no more than about 20% of the area of each field.