We are pleased to see that the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier option for Floodplain Meadows CGS18 has now been published and is open for applications from the eligible farmers, foresters and land managers who received an invitation from their local Natural England Area Team. It is intended to be a controlled rollout in both 2025 and 2026. This means that for now, access is by invitation only.
The Floodplain Meadow Partnership have worked with both Defra and Natural England to ensure the option was introduced and that the actions required reflected our own evidence-based advice. Indeed the advice the FMP can provide is highlighted in the CGS18 page. Alongside the value for biodiversity, the option recognises the ecosystem services of floodplain meadows stating that they offer “valuable space for floodwaters; potential for carbon capture and increased climate resilience; and protecting valued landscapes and archaeology”.
Although we had pressed for a longer period, the option is for 5 years only. However, the payment rate has retained the previously announced £1,070 per hectare (ha) per year, for both management and restoration. We welcome the introduction of an option where maintenance is at the same payrate as restoration - rewarding those farmers who are already managing our rare meadows.
The new option has recognised the need for farmers and land managers to be more flexible over when the hay cut is taken, removing the rigid hay cutting dates of the previous CS option for species rich grassland. We shared our research on the interaction between cutting dates, nutrient uptake and diversity, and pressed for an earlier date for when the haycut can take place than previously allowed, and the earliest cut is now 15th June. It will also allow for a further cut in Autumn if viable - important for when the soil fertility is high and requires reducing, particularly so during restoration.
The option also recognises the role of hydrology for floodplain meadows – paying for farmers to maintain or restore the appropriate hydrology to allow flood water to flow naturally onto and off the field. This includes the need to maintain existing infrastructure including culverts, pipes, grips and ditches to allow floodwater to return to a watercourse.
Eligible land must be:
- located below the moorland line
- in the floodplain (usually identified as flood zones 2 or 3 on the Environment Agency’s Flood map for planning
- on land that naturally floods or that can be allowed to flood naturally
The land must also be one of the following:
- permanent grassland that is existing lowland meadow priority habitat – it does not need to be mapped on the Priority Habitat Inventory
- arable land, temporary grassland or permanent grassland that has a high or medium potential for restoration or creation of species rich floodplain meadows
Applicants are required to have a restoration or creation plan. This could be done through either an implementation plan or feasibility study, which can be funded through Capital Grants. These are available through:
NEXT STEPS FOR THE FMP
This will be a controlled roll out with the expectation that there will be a limited uptake of the option in the next couple of years, however we are aware that there is much interest in the potential of this option, and wish to support and advise where we can. We are continuing to have discussions with both Defra and Natural England on the option and supporting guidance. The Open University have awarded the FMP funding to support our work around the new floodplain meadow option. This funding will be used to support the FMP in offering training for advisors and others through webinars, field visits and more in depth training, monitoring uptake and benefits and carrying out research to understand motivation to take up the option, or in restoring floodplain meadows more generally.
In June 2025 we ran a 2-day training course with Natural England aimed at Natural England farm advisors, hosted at the lovely Long Mead barn and meadow in Oxfordshire. We visited a number of adjacent restoration fields and assessed potential restoration fields as well.
Please do get in touch with us if you have been invited to apply or are working / advising with a farmer who has been invited, or if you are interested in this option as a feasible payment. Please also let us know if you would be interested in signing up for the programme of webinars when they are arranged.
