AGri-Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) Main Points:

Tranche 1: Start of contract 1st January 2023

ACRES General:

3 Tiers for entry (Similar to GLAS approach)

Tier 1:

• Private Natura

• Commonage

• Geese and Swans

• Breeding Wader mapped areas

• Catchments identified as High Water Status

• Rare breeds (must be a member of breed society at time of application)

• Registered Organic Farmers (Registered and approved as an organic operator at time of application)

Note:

Minimum 0.5ha of these types of land needed on the 2021 BPS for priority entry along with a commitment to other actions on the intersecting area e.g. Private Natura a. Low Input Grassland b. Extensively grazed pasture.

Tier 2:

• Vulnerable water area (0.5 ha in 2021 BPS and select from list of actions e.g. Planting a new hedgerow)

• Tree planting: Plant minimum 100 trees for example

• Farms exceeding 130kg N/ha 2021 however must choose from list of actions in addition to this e.g. Grass Margins Grassland - permanent stock proof fence 2, 3 or 6 metres out from boundary

• Native Woodland Establishment scheme or Agro- Forestry Scheme Participant

Tier 3:

Some common actions for farmers from the General Actions list:

• Barn Owl nest box (maximum 2 boxes €36.48/unit/year)

• Commonage (Results based €220/ha/yr maximum

• Rare breeds

• Coppicing of hedgerow (Minimum 10m maximum 400m €2.87/m/yr)

• Extensively grazed pasture (Former LIPP in GLAS 10ha €200/ha/yr - can have this in addition to Low Input grassland)

• Geese and swans

• Grass margin grassland

• Laying of hedgerows (€5.47/m/yr)

• Low Emissions slurry spreading (No longer used for Tier 2 entry €1.20/m3/yr)

• Low Input Grassland (results based Maximum €400/ha for example and participants have the option for late meadow bonus payment €50/ha on meadows cut after 1st July. No payment on scorecard for boundaries unless for example Traditional Dry Stone Wall picked separately).

• Low Input Peat Grassland

• Management of intensive grassland next to Watercourse

• Planting a new hedgerow (€5.29/m/yr up to 750m)

• Planting a traditional orchard

• Planting trees in Riparian zones

• Tree planting (Minimum 10 trees however 100 trees as explained Tier 2. Maximum 300 trees €6.21/tree/yr)

• Protection of maintenance of archaeological monuments grassland

• Riparian buffer strip grassland

• Riparian buffer zone grassland

• Traditional dry stone wall maintenance (€0.76/m/yr maximum 4,000m)

• Tree belts for ammonia capture from farmyards

• Winter bird food plot (No longer used as Tier 2 entry €1,000 /ha/yr minimum .25ha and maximum 3ha)