Guidance, Document
Sustainable Farming Screen - Universal Layer: UA6 temporary habitat on improved land: quick guide
A quick guide to temporary habitat on improved land, by type.
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| Type | Location / width | Timing | Key requirements | Restrictions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Fallow crop margins | Improved land, next to cereals/oilseed/roots. Minimum 3 metres wide. | Establish before 15 May (or 1 July for roots). | Cultivate seed bed annually. Allow natural regeneration. | No grazing, nutrients, or pesticides (except spot treatment). |
| 2. Unfertilised, unsprayed, unharvested headlands | Minimum 3 metres wide. | Crop established by 15 May. Retain until 15 February next year. | Leave headland unfertilised, unsprayed, unharvested. | No grazing before 15 February. |
| 3. Fixed rough grass margins | Minimum 3 metres. Same location for 3 or more years. | Establish by 15 May. | Sow mix: 15% tussock grasses and fine-leaved grasses. No ryegrass. | No grazing or nutrients. Limited mowing after year 1. |
| 4. Rotational rough grass margins | Minimum 3 metres wide. | Establish by 15 May. | Same seed mix as fixed margins. | No cutting / mowing if rotated. |
| 5. Unsprayed Spring-sown cereal and protein mix | Whole parcel or margin. | Sow 1 March to 15 May. Retain stubbles until 15 February. | Mix: 50% cereal and 50% protein crops. | No spraying, undersowing or grazing before 15 February. |
| 6. Retain cereal Winter stubbles | Whole parcel. | After cereal harvest. Retain until 15 February. | Allow natural regeneration. | No spraying, cutting, grazing or slurry before 15 February. |
| 7. Wildlife cover crop | Block or margin. Minimum 3 metres wide. | Establish before 15 May. | Multi-species wildlife/game cover crop. | No grazing / cutting before 15 March. No insecticides / fungicides. |
| 8. Uncultivated buffer adjacent to habitat | 12 to 20 metres wide. | Year-round. | Unfertilised, unsprayed, uncultivated. | Grazing allowed. |
| 9. Mixed herbal leys | Whole parcel or margin. | Sow 15 April to 15 September. Retain 3 years. | Mix: At least 5 grasses, 3 legumes, 3 herbs. Closed period 1 May to 31 July. | No Plant Protection Products (PPPs) after establishment. No grazing / mowing during closed period. |
| 10. Late cut improved grasslands | Whole parcel. | Closed period: 6 May to 15 July. | Shut out for silage / hay only. | No grazing or mechanical operations during closed period. |
| 11. Improved grassland allowed to set seed | Whole parcel or strips at least 12 metres wide. | Closed period: 1 June to 28 February. | Leave uncut / ungrazed to set seed. | No cutting or grazing during closed period. |