SSSI grazing

[Tess1]

Just wondering how much people pay per year for SSSI grazing?
It's downland ground in the south east. The grass is fairly good but there is a fair portion covered in trees and gorse. It's very steep ground, with a couple of quad bike tracks to get to the top. You cannot get a truck up there. Can't graze with sheep from 1st of April to 31st August. Landlord gets all payments.

We have been told by a couple of people they don't pay anything. Just wondering if there are other farmers with similar situation.

 

[unlacedgecko]

Just wondering how much people pay per year for SSSI grazing?
It's downland ground in the south east. The grass is fairly good but there is a fair portion covered in trees and gorse. It's very steep ground, with a couple of quad bike tracks to get to the top. You cannot get a truck up there. Can't graze with sheep from 1st of April to 31st August. Landlord gets all payments.

We have been told by a couple of people they don't pay anything. Just wondering if there are other farmers with similar situation.

Landlord will need it grazed to claim the payments.

You'll struggle to produce anything of value from it. And you have numerous hoops to jump through with restrictive dates etc.

You should be being paid for your conservation grazing service.

 

[edn]

Can be useful that type of ground as it allows you to rest other pasture or outwinter stock for longer. We have some that means we don’t have to house a group of cattle.
However useful it is though it shouldn’t be costing you any money in rent- the grass will not be very productive plus there will be hoops for you to jump through.

 

[Tamar]

You shouldn't pay anything ..............especially if the landlord is getting all the payments and you can't graze it for 5 months in the summer.

I would want paying to graze it

 

[Tim W]

I'm sure @Frank-the-Wool grazes similar?

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Just wondering how much people pay per year for SSSI grazing?
It's downland ground in the south east. The grass is fairly good but there is a fair portion covered in trees and gorse. It's very steep ground, with a couple of quad bike tracks to get to the top. You cannot get a truck up there. Can't graze with sheep from 1st of April to 31st August. Landlord gets all payments.

We have been told by a couple of people they don't pay anything. Just wondering if there are other farmers with similar situation.

Be very careful before taking this on and look at all the restrictions.
The Landlord needs you to comply with the SSSI stipulations.
You say can't graze with sheep between April 1st and 31st August, but I would guess it can have cattle at a low stocking density.
You won't keep an ewe to the acre on this terrain and the sheep will not thrive on this winter grazing.

Have a look to see how much they are being paid and suggest they pay your costs of transport or some of your lookering costs.

There is a reason there are payments to maintain these SSSI's.

 

[delilah]

You don't say if it has public access. If it does, then whatever you are thinking of charging them double it for the grief you will get with dogs and their owners.

 

[Tess1]

Many thanks for the replies.
We had been renting this block. Its right near main farm and handy dry block to put ewes. But the sheep lose condition on it. So we have told landlord we don't want to pay for it.

Yes has footpaths on it and yes we get issues frequently. People seem to let the dogs go at the hand gate and let them run off out of sight. Most of the people are so aggressive as well.

 

[Tamar]

Many thanks for the replies.
We had been renting this block. Its right near main farm and handy dry block to put ewes. But the sheep lose condition on it. So we have told landlord we don't want to pay for it.

Yes has footpaths on it and yes we get issues frequently. People seem to let the dogs go at the hand gate and let them run off out of sight. Most of the people are so aggressive as well.

So is there any plus sides to this ground !?!

 

[Tess1]

Yes it had worked when we could graze ewes and lambs there in the summer months. They always did well up there.
Then in the winter it's somewhere dry for a month or 2 once they all come off winter keep (theres always grass up there, obviously quality just reduces quick. Then there is conflict between us saying they are done and natural england want it taken down harder ). We then have turnips and rape they go on end of January after scanning.

As for walkers and dogs that's just something we have to deal with everywhere we have grazing.