CHS4: Control scrub on historic and archaeological features
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

£215 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is that there’s a well-managed, intact grass sward growing over the historic or archaeological feature throughout the year. You should aim for minimal scrub cover and bare ground.

The purpose of this is to:
- protect historic or archaeological features
- reduce the risk of root damage to historic or archaeological features
- reduce diffuse pollution and soil erosion, depending on the site’s location
- help maintain and conserve landscape character
Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible land that contains more than 5% scrub cover within each land parcel and is either:
- identified as containing a historic or archaeological feature on your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER)
- contains an historic or archaeological feature identified by you, and agreed with a 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 the 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, Forestry Commission woodland officer or Historic 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:
- prevent scrub encroachment on historic or archaeological features
- reduce scrub on historic or archaeological features by 75% over the first 3 years of your agreement – remove 25% of scrub each year between the start of January and the end of February or the start of October and the end of December
- remove cuttings and brash and control any re-growth
- position vehicle or stock access routes at least 6m away from the historic or archaeological feature
- maintain a continuous grass sward or vegetation cover over historic or archaeological features with minimal bare batches and erosion (as agreed with your Natural England adviser)
- make sure that any mature trees felled will fall away from the feature
- plan work so that extraction routes, bonfire sites, timber processing and storage sites are away from the feature
You must not:
- plough, cultivate or re-seed
- harrow or roll
- supplementary feed within 6m of the historic or archaeological feature
- grub out stumps and roots
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:
- field operations at a land parcel level
- associated invoices
- other documentation
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:
- 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)
- consent from the Environment Agency or other responsible bodies for works on hydrological structures
You may need to:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get Scheduled Monument Consent (https://historicengland.org.uk/advice/planning/consents/smc/) from Historic England for any work on scheduled monuments
- get advice from your Historic England, Natural England adviser or local authority if you have other historic or archaeological features on your agreement land
- get a wildlife licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wildlife-licences) from Natural England if your activities affect a protected species or their habitat
- apply for a felling licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-felling-licence-when-you-need-to-apply) from the Forestry Commission to carry out some activities in this action
All historic and archaeological features (including scheduled monuments) are identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

You can manage any historic and archaeological features you identify that are not listed on your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) under this action (if agreed with your Natural England adviser or Forestry Commission woodland officer).

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 for capital 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 a site

You can use this action to help manage scrub where it covers more than 5% of the feature. You can apply the 5% parameter to connected or disconnected areas of scrub within the action area.

Managing scrub

Scrub and trees cause damage to historic and archaeological features through
- roots penetrating the features
- ground disturbance due to a tree falling
- livestock poaching where the scrub provides shelter
- encouraging burrowing animals where the scrub provides shelter
You can remove scrub by:
- mowing
- flailing
- using a chainsaw or strimmer
- clearing by hand
Flailing, mowing and strimming:
- may be suitable for sites where features are completely underground
- are not appropriate where there are standing or above ground features, or where there’s bare soil
Cut scrub down to ground level without disturbing the roots. You can use chainsaws for this. If archaeological material is visible, vulnerable and easily disturbed, you may need to cut scrub by hand instead.

You can control scrub regrowth using:
- livestock grazing
- machinery
- chemicals to treat roots
If there’s a good cover of grass protecting the site features and the site is not vulnerable to erosion, you can control scrub regrowth by:
- livestock grazing (particularly in spring and autumn)
- mechanical mowing
On vulnerable sites, you may need to use weed wiping or chemical treatment of scrub. If the site is near a pond or watercourse, you’ll need to get consent from the Environment Agency (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/environment-agency#org-contacts) before doing this.