Agri-environment schemes in Wales

Tir Gofal

Tir Gofal is a whole farm agri-environment scheme, which has been available throughout Wales since April 1999. It is managed by the Countryside Council for Wales.
The scheme can provide financial and advisory support to landowners and mangers for the management of land for environmental benefits. It encourages agricultural practice, which will protect and enhance the landscape of Wales, their cultural feature and associated wildlife.

Small-flowered Catchfly (Silene gallica)
©John Martin/RDS

Tir Gofal replaces the previous schemes such as Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Tir Cymen, and takes forward the experience gained in single whole farm schemes. The scheme is available throughout Wales to farmers or others who have responsibility for and control over farmed land – usually an owner/occupier or tenant.

There are four key elements of the scheme:

• Land management
• Creating new permissive access
• Capital works
• Training for farmers

The scheme offers ten year agreement with a five year break clause

In addition to the four elements there are optional opportunities. The opportunities that are of most benefit to arable plants are under "reducing the intensity of management on arable and improved land", options include unsprayed cereal crops, winter stubbles and under-sown spring cereals. Also of most benefit uncropped fallow margins.

Option 29 – Uncropped fallow margins alongside arable and root crops (£450 per hectare)

This option should provide ideal conditions for rare arable plants it allows cultivation of 4 to 12m field margins every year or in alternate years, without the drilling of a crop or the application of fertiliser or agrochemicals.

Option 24 – Unsprayed cereal, rape and linseed crops (24A exiting arable land: £120 per hectare)

This option can give good results in some place, particularly on the lightest soils and in spring sown crops.

Option 25 – Retention of winter stubbles in cereals, rape and linseed crops (25A after a conventionally grown crop £80 per hectare 25B after an unsprayed crop £120 per hectare)