CWT13: Manage and restore fen, reedbed and wetland mosaics
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

10 years

How much you’ll be paid

£920 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

This action’s aim is to maintain or restore reedbed, fen or wetland habitat mosaic (including mires and flushes).

The purpose is to:
- increase biodiversity, by supporting a diverse range of target species
- store carbon
- reduce flood risk
- improve water quality
- protect archaeological sites with waterlogged remains
Where you can do this action

You can do this action on eligible land that’s:
- fen, reedbed or a mosaic of wetland habitats which can include mires and flushes
- fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic habitat with potential for restoration
- located below the moorland line
You cannot do this action on reedbeds and constructed wetlands that have been created to clean the water.

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 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:
- provide suitable hydrological conditions for the target habitats
- manage the fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic to maintain clear, unpolluted water
- manage trees and scrub so they usually cover no more than 10% of the area – your adviser will agree the area of trees and scrub with you
- dispose of cut material using agreed methods
The advice you’re given from Natural England is specific to your land which means (where relevant) you may also need to:
- control invasive non-native species
- manage scrub and other species to agreed levels
You must not:
- apply fertilisers or manures
- 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
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.

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) or where land drainage or changing water levels affect nearby SSSIs
- to obtain the necessary consents from the Environment Agency, Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA) or Internal Drainage Board (IDB) before starting any work
You may need to:
- agree an implementation plan or feasibility study with your Natural England adviser
- get advice from your Natural England adviser if you have other archaeological or historic features on your agreement land
- get a licence (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/wildlife-licences) from Natural England if your management affects 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 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 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 on sites that are in a good condition or ones that need restoring. For example, by removing scrub, restoring the hydrology or introducing appropriate vegetation management.

Managing your site

Manage the fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic habitat with a planned set of wildlife goals. When making your plan, consider the:

area available

water supplies

topography

other landscape and management opportunities or constraints such as flood risk, surrounding land use – for example, on slopes above wetland, existing habitats, species on site, the historic environment and landscape impact

You may need a feasibility study or implementation plan (or both) especially if significant changes to site management are necessary. For example, raising water levels or restoring natural hydrological function.

You can apply for a PA1: Implementation plan (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/implementation-plan-pa1) or PA2: Feasibility study (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/feasibility-study-pa2) to fund your management plan. You can also use a plan which is not funded by PA1 or PA2 if it includes all the information needed.

Maintaining and restoring fens

Fens (including mires, flushes and upland wetland mosaics) are diverse habitats with different fen types depending on factors such as:

water chemistry

soil type

fertility

position in the landscape

historical management

To maintain or restore fen appropriately, consider the location and landscape setting. Set appropriate objectives for conserving, enhancing and managing the fen.

Decide how best to manage and restore fens by considering:

how and where it sits in the wider landscape

how past modification and management have influenced the fen and the wildlife it supports

how the fen is supplied with water, how it drains and if any changes are needed such as restoring hydrology that functions naturally or raising water levels

if the water quality needs improving to maintain or restore the fen

other landscape and management opportunities or constraints such as flood risk, existing habitats, species on site, the historic environment and landscape impact

Small fen sites may be fragments of once much larger wetlands and semi-natural landscapes. Look for opportunities to extend and buffer existing fens by:

re-wetting areas with drained land (mineral and peat) next to them

blocking or in-filling pipes or ditches that intercept springs or drain the fen

undertaking appropriate management on surrounding land such as buffering the fen from agricultural inputs

Consider the surroundings and neighbouring habitats to plan more coherent wetland units. Habitats can include:

raised and blanket bog

rivers and lakes

wet grassland

wet woodland

Speak to your Natural England adviser about funding to manage these habitats.

Water coming from the area around the fen largely determines its character and condition. It’s important you manage the surrounding land in a way that does not damage the fen through pollution by nutrients or sediment runoff.

You may need to maintain the habitat by grazing or cutting.

Maintaining and restoring reedbed

Reedbed habitat quality can vary greatly. The type of habitat that’s suitable for different wildlife depends on:

reedbed size

how wet or dry it is

scrub cover

soil type

water quality

reed management practices

For example, a small scrubby reedbed might support a diverse invertebrate assemblage but will not attract breeding bittern.

You may need to maintain the habitat by grazing or cutting.

Managing scrub

Scrub plants and scrubby areas in wetlands add to habitat complexity and can support rare species. You can include small areas of scrub in the fen, reedbed and wetland mosaic action – your agreement will set this out. You may find that large areas are more suitable for scrub or woodland actions if they need managing. You’ll need to do ongoing scrub control as part of your regular wetland management.

Managing the hydrology

Restoring the natural hydrology by removing or blocking artificial drainage such as ditches, grips and field drains is the best thing to do in most instances.

In areas with more intensive water management systems (for example, the Fens, Somerset Levels, Norfolk and Suffolk Broads) ditches may need managing or restoring to maintain high water levels.

Controlling invasive, non-native species

Monitor and control invasive, non-native plant species (such as Himalayan balsam and Japanese knotweed) to stop them spreading. These species can out-compete native plants or take their light. Seek advice if the site contains invasive water plants like Crassula helmsii (New Zealand pigmyweed) or floating pennywort.

Make sure the way you treat and dispose of invasive non-native plant material does not endanger human health or the environment.

You’ll need to get agreement from the Environment Agency to use herbicides in or near water. Products must be approved for aquatic use. Read guidance on controlling invasive non-native plants (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/prevent-the-spread-of-harmful-invasive-and-non-native-plants).

Where not to use this action

This action is not suitable for managing wet grassland sites. If you are intending to create or restore fen, reedbed or wetland mosaic habitat from existing grassland use action CWT14: Create reedbed, fen or wetland mosaics (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwt14-create-fen-reedbed-or-wetland-mosaics).

Only use this action on areas of permanent open water over 1ha if the intention is for these areas to develop fen or reedbed vegetation as part of a dynamic wetland system.

Historic environment and landscape

Wetlands, fens and reedbeds create interesting diversity visually. They’re also important characteristic features in some local landscapes, providing both natural and cultural land use interest. This action offers opportunities to protect waterlogged archaeological deposits and sites by preventing degradation of organic remains (through rewetting) and also contributes to reinforcing landscape character.

Responding to climate change

Read Natural England’s publication: ‘Adaptation for habitats in Environmental Land Management Schemes’ (https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/file/5673659512127488) to help you consider your general response to climate change. You must continue to follow the mandatory activities for this CSHT action.