Rural Development Contracts and Natural care
Rural Development Contracts - Rural PRIORITIES (RDC-RP)
Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities (RDC-RP) opened for business on 7 April 2008. It offers farmers, crofters, foresters, businesses and community groups a share of almost £800 million to help deliver environmental, social and economic benefits to rural Scotland. It is part of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) and is being delivered jointly by Scottish Government Rural Payments and Inspections Division (SGRPID), SNH and Forestry Commission Scotland (FCS).
Natural Care and SNH Management Agreements
Rural Priorities replaces previous agri-environment and forestry schemes such as the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) and Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme (SFGS). It will also replace SNH’s Natural Care Schemes and individual agreements as the main mechanism for funding management of SSSIs and Natura sites (SPAs and SACs).
SNH will continue to honour existing Management Agreements but will not normally enter into new agreements to replace these. If your SNH agreement is due to expire you will normally be expected to make an application to Rural Priorities. In most cases, Rural Priorities can offer similar support to that currently available through SNH’s Natural Care schemes. You are advised to apply well in advance of your agreement expiry date (see notes on timing below).
Link to information on Natural Care:
Details of SNH’s Natural Care Management Schemes
Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities (RDC-RP)
We recommend that you contact your local SNH office for advice on the management of your SSSI or Natura site before you complete an RDC-RP application.
You can also find information on SSSIs and Natura sites on SNH’s website, under SiteLink. (If you press the ‘Map Search’ button within SiteLink you can search by post code or farm code to find a map of sites in your area; the map scale can be changed using the bar at the bottom of the screen.)
You can access SiteLink
Applying to RDC Rural Priorities:
You first need a Business Reference Number (BRN). If you don’t already have one you need to complete a form and forward this to your local Scottish Government RPID office. The form can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Agriculture/grants/Schemes/18148/17093
You or your appointed agent will then need to fill in an on-line Statement of Intent (SOI) and provide a map. SOI guidance can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/HowItWorks/StatementofIntent
If your SOI is approved, you will then be asked to complete a more detailed online Proposal along with an Outcome Plan and maps. Guidance can be found at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/RuralPriorities/HowItWorks/PrepareYourProposal
Timing of applications:
please note that almost all the annual management options in RDC run on an annual cycle from January to December. If you wish to apply to start any RDC annual management options in 2009, it would be advisable to start the application process in summer 2008.
If you have any queries relating to RDC Rural Priorities please contact your local SNH, RPID or FCS office.
RURAL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACTS - LAND MANAGERS OPTIONS (LMO)
This scheme was introduced in March 2008 to replace the LMC Menu Scheme which started in 2005. This scheme is non competitive, with funding available for a range of options, up to a limit that is based on available acreage. Applications are made on a form that is submitted at the same time as the Single Application Form (IACS 15 May). RDC- LMO offers a more limited range of options than RDC-RP that provides general habitat management. Most of the management measures needed on SSSI or Natura sites will be more detailed and are to be found under RDC-RP rather than LMO, though a number of LMO options may be suitable in a few cases.
You can find more information about LMOs at:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP/Land-Managers-Option