Ceres House

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Arable Birds HLS Process

• Ceres House 11th August

19th January , Nottingham
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Why do we need an arable scheme?
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Remit of the Task and Finish group
To produce a simplified HLS scheme for
predominantly arable holdings that is easy for
the landowner to implement, with minimal
processing time for Natural England and that can
be proactively promoted as a whole package by the
FAU at landowner meetings and Farm demonstration
events

• To produce a simplified HLS scheme for purely
  arable holdings that is easy for the landowner to
  implement, with minimal processing time for
  Natural England and that can be proactively
  promoted as a whole package by the FAU at
  landowner meetings and Farm demonstration events
  

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Feedback from Regional Workshop Main themes

• To meet HLS targets has to focus on Farmland
  birds
• Pro active approach (FAU/LMAS)
• Pre application site visit advisor report
• Land owner/ Agronomist completes application
  forms
• Constraints map check alleviating need for full
  FEP
• Simplified consultation process with short turn
  around
• Pre set prescriptions and indicators reducing
  genesis processing time

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Outline of the Simplified Process

• This process is solely intended for use on
  predominantly arable holdings that otherwise
  would have insufficient features to qualify for a
  normal HLS
• If Cross checking and site visits reveal any
  important features such as SSSI, SAMS, other
  important archaeology or BAP habitats (except
  hedgerows) the applicant must be directed to a
  full HLS application and FEP.
• To comply with the Natural England policy on HLS
  and farmland birds, the Scheme will be targeted
  to holdings with 3 or more of the big 6 found in
  the surrounding 2 km. However should the holding
  also have populations of any of four other
  species of regional importance then there will
  also be additional management options available
  for these.
• The applicant agrees to implement a suite of pre
  set options on the holding, taking advice from a
  Natural England officer who will recommend which
  options are suitable, based on the farmland bird
  species found in the local area. Each suite of
  options is designed to maximise the benefits for
  particular target bird species.

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Outline of the Simplified Processcont

• The process will be simplified as much as
  possible to enable the land manager themselves to
  complete the application and FEP (therefore the
  only information required in the FEP will be
  records of birds on the holding which can be
  pre-supplied by Natural England), and there will
  be a fast track approach to minimise the time it
  takes process an agreement whilst still meeting
  all statutory obligations and audit conditions.
• We have to ensure that the simplified process
  still meets Natural England targets. Therefore by
  agreeing to the process the applicant will need
  to undertake sufficient work to meet the criteria
  for entry into the scheme under the Farmland
  Birds theme.
• Although nominally targeted toward farmland birds
  the suites of options will in many cases also
  benefit invertebrates and/or rare arable plants.
  Once agreements are established they can modified
  as normal to bring benefit to other wildlife or
  include new capital items.
• All HLS agreements will still need to be
  underpinned by an ELS agreement which should set
  up in the usual way. Where ELS options are chosen
  Natural England will provide supplementary
  management advice.

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What it is not -

• A new HLS scheme in its own right
• An attempt to circumvent tried and tested
  prescriptions or indicators by creating
  prescriptions from scratch
• A way of bypassing the new HLS targeting system

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All suites of prescriptions and indicators used
in the simplified process are already available
in Genesis. They have simply been modified where
advisor discretion is allowed in any agreement
(i.e. the bits in square brackets ) to maximise
the benefits to specific target species.
Summary
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Simplified HLS Process
Prepare and send out Application pack
Pre- FEP 1.Consult webmap for bird species 2.
Carry out site visit 3. Check for SAMs and other
obvious historic features 4. Check for BAP
habitat 5. Check for SSSI 6. Ask about birds on
the holding 7. Determine if arable/ normal HLS
is more appropriate 8. Discuss pre generated
options with Landowner
Complete forms FEP reduced so the only
information That needs to be recorded is
presence Of bird species
Check environmental Information map
Request application Pack
Scanning and data Input to Genesis
Finalise Pre-set options Choice and enter
into Genesis
Send out HE consultation (10 days)
BAP habitat SAMs Historic features SSSI
Produce agreement maps on GIT
HER consultation or Environmental
information Map reveal important Features

Discuss with Land owner
Finalise agreement
Sign and return
Carry out Normal HLS Application process
Local teams/ FAU/ partners
Landowner / agent
ISS
Local teams
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Arable Birds HLS
Linnet
Tree Sparrow
Corn Bunting
Reed Bunting
Skylark
The East Midlands Regional Ten
Grey Partridge
Lapwing
Turtle dove
Yellow Wagtail
Yellow Hammer
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Landowner Guidance
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Example Prescriptions and Indicators (1)
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Example Prescriptions and Indicators (2)
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Example Prescriptions and Indicators (3)
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Next steps

• Prescriptions and indicators will be completed by
  the end of November.
• The pre-set prescriptions and indicators will be
  passed to RSPB, both locally and nationally and
  Natural England specialists for comment and sign
  off.
• A 6 month pilot will be rolled out in the
  Lincolnshire Fens and Sherwood.
• At the end of this period the scheme will be
  evaluated and any amendments made before rolling
  out region wide.