Great news that the GRH6 “action” is now available in the Expanded SFI offer, and we are able to offer you some helpful information.  You can also read more on the Natural England (NE) website about GRH6 and how to register your interest.

Some key points and top tips from HM:

The action’s AIM is for there to be species rich grassland with a good cover of flowers and grasses during the summer with 4 frequently occurring and 2 occasionally occurring indicator species typical of your type of grassland.
This is a higher threshold than the (soon to be updated) eligibility requirements for Priority Habitat grassland.
GRH6 also covers restoration of species rich grassland from species poor grassland and creation from cultivated land (the same management payment applies in all these circumstances).  We expect the title will soon be amended to reflect this but there is nowhere yet on the application to say which you are considering.
This is an ‘endorsed action’, meaning when you apply to SFI you will be allocated an adviser working on behalf of NE who will visit to assess suitability for GRH6 and draw up simple management or restoration recommendations with you for the 5 years.
An important difference from Mid Tier is that your grassland does not have to be on the Priority Habitat Inventory (PHI) in order to apply for this action although it will certainly help.  Neither does being on the PHI guarantee endorsement. All fields will be visited to confirm eligibility.

How to prepare for your endorsement visit:

• Have recent survey data, photos and record sheets available – this will be critical if the endorsement takes place in winter, when an assessment will inevitably underestimate the richness of your grassland as some indicators will not be evident. Ideally plan a year ahead by getting PHI surveys completed.
• Ensure your grassland meets the eligibility requirements for GRH6 for existing flower rich grassland.
• If you’re applying for restoration or creation you must have soil analyses available before the visit – essential.
• Have a good restoration plan in mind if that’s what you’re applying for. Think about sources of seed, local donor sites, availability of machinery, livestock etc.
• Consider taking advice in advance of making an application or before the NE visit.
• Consider other SFI grassland options if your grassland is not already meeting the condition threshold for PHI grassland, or you are not willing or able to alter your grassland management or to carry out interventions to enhance the sward.

Application Process

The key difference from the former Mid Tier GS6 option is that the endorsement process takes place AFTER you have applied. Sadly this means that you can’t switch to another SFI grassland action on any parcel that is not endorsed, and you must instead withdraw your application and re-apply.  We are hoping that this cumbersome system will improve if enough people advocate for change.

To avoid this slowing down a larger SFI application some applicants may choose to make a separate application for GRH6 fields (5 years), so that the rest of their SFI application (3 years) can proceed regardless of the outcome of the endorsements.

Guidance over the coming months.

The first expressions of interest are being processed now and we will keep you updated over the coming months as we hear about the experiences of our members using the system.

We hope to be able to offer a Zoom Q&A session or similar – watch this space!

How can Herefordshire Meadows help?

If you want help deciding the best way forward for your grassland, we provide a charged advisory service. Support we can offer includes:

– Carrying out PHI surveys of your grassland including completing submission of evidence and documentation to Natural England.

– Assessing your grassland and offering advice and guidance on the eligibility for the GRH6 option before you make an application.

Contact info@herefordshiremeadows.org.uk or one of our advisers if you would like to enquire further and book in a visit.