CSP5: Shepherding supplement (non-moorland)
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

£10 per hectare (ha) per year

Action’s aim

The aim of this supplemental action is to introduce or reintroduce shepherding where significant changes are needed to land practices.

The purpose of this is to:
- improve the quality of vegetation
- reduce overgrazing in some areas and increase grazing in others
- improve the habitats for birds, mammals and insects
- protect and improve visibility of historic and archaeological features
- create more suitable conditions for threatened species to thrive
Where you can do this action:

You can only do this supplemental action on eligible land with any of the following Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier base actions:
- CCT8: Manage and restore coastal sand dunes
- CCT9: Manage and restore coastal vegetated shingle
- CCT10: Manage and restore maritime cliffs and slopes
- CGS26: Manage grassland with very low inputs
- CWD20: Create wood pasture
- CWD21: Restore wood pasture and parkland
- CWD22: Manage wood pasture and parkland
- CUP2: Manage rough grazing for birds
- CGS22: Manage priority habitat species-rich grassland
- CGS20: Manage wet grassland for breeding waders
- CGS19: Manage wet grassland for wintering waders and wildfowl
- CGS21: Manage grassland for target features, species or features
- CLH1: Manage lowland heathland
- CLH2: Restore lowland heathland
- CLH3: Creation of lowland heathland
- CWT13: Manage and restore fen, reedbed and wetland mosaics
- CWT14: Create fen, reedbed or wetland mosaics
- CWT10: Manage lowland raised bog
Your Natural England adviser will agree with you what other supplemental actions may be needed to meet the intended environmental outcomes. This could include:
- CCT6: Coastal vegetation management supplement
- CGS16: Rush control supplement
- CGS23: Haymaking supplement
- CGS24: Haymaking supplement (late cut)
- CSP1: Difficult site supplement
- CSP2: Rewetting supplement
- CSP3: Bracken control supplement
- CSP11: Manage scrapes and gutters supplement
- CSP12: Rhododendron control and management supplement
- CSP16: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP17: Keep native breeds on grazed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP18: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (50-80%)
- CSP19: Keep native breeds on extensively managed habitats supplement (more than 80%)
- CSP6: Cattle grazing supplement (non-moorland)
- CSP7: Introduction of cattle grazing on the Isles of Scilly supplement
- CSP9: Support for threatened species
- CSW26: Enhanced floodplain storage supplement
- CUP18: Manage features for wildfire management (fire and fuel breaks) supplement
You must not use this supplemental action where:
- boundaries are not proofed against livestock that cannot be controlled effectively
- there’s little or no shepherding available in the area
- the site is not grazed
- there’s already a local practice, custom or regulation in place for shepherding
Eligible land

Same as base action

Available area you can enter into this action

Same or less than the base action.

Rotational or static action

Same as base action.

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 supplemental action, you must:
- keep records of shepherding or herding activities on the agreed area
- only use mineral licks or supplementary feed in agreed locations
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 record of shepherding activity
- photographs of the management undertaken
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)
You may need to:
- 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 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

You can 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.

When to use this supplement

Your Natural England adviser will decide if you need additional shepherding to manage your site and are eligible to apply for this supplement.

You may need to carry out additional shepherding to routinely disperse livestock:
- across a grazing unit
- towards or away from particular areas
You may also need to carry out additional shepherding to manage livestock to protect habitat and animal welfare on:
- habitats with low productivity and difficult topography
- habitats sensitive to poaching and compaction, such as sand dune and shingle
You can use this supplement to support specific grazing regimes where additional shepherding or herding is needed for some habitat management, for example to graze small areas for a short period of time at high intensity to:
- ensure all plant species are grazed including less desirable scrub and rank grasses
- move livestock to another small area to repeat intense grazing
- allow more time for grazed areas to regrow