Grant Support and Compliance
We support landowners and estates through the full process of developing Deer (Species) Management Plans required under Countryside Stewardship, including the Higher Tier CWS1 supplementary deer option.
Our approach follows UK Forestry Standard guidance and focuses on producing workable, site-specific plans that not only satisfy grant requirements but also deliver measurable improvements in woodland health and biodiversity.
CWS1 Grant
If deer are damaging woodland or sensitive habitat, CWS1 may provide financial support through the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme. This action supports long-term deer control where browsing pressure is affecting habitat condition, woodland recovery, or priority species.
Payment – £105 per hectare per year.
Eligibility – Land must be part of a * Higher Tier agreement with deer identified as a threat to woodland health.
What is usually required
- Entry through the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier process
- Supporting plans, which may include a Species Management Plan and Woodland Management Plan
- Delivery of agreed deer control measures
- Habitat Impact Assessments in Years 1, 5 and 10
How DMS can help
Deer Management Services can assist with site assessment, deer impact evidence, management planning support, and practical delivery of the agreed deer control programme.
For detailed guidance on CWS1 requirements, refer to the official government documentation.
* Where a site has no existing plan in place, the first step is usually to get the land properly registered and mapped in Rural Payments, then develop the required supporting plans. For woodland deer issues, this commonly means a Woodland Management Plan and a Species Management Plan, with deer plans approved by the Forestry Commission. While this does not automatically open a CWS1 agreement, it creates the technical and administrative foundation needed for future entry into the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier process
What CWS1 is actually worth to your land
CWS1 pays £105 per hectare per year across a 10-year agreement. That means:
£5,250
£10,500
£105,000
A properly structured Deer Management Plan, supported by annual compliance delivery, is what makes those payments accessible and defensible. We handle the full process, survey, plan, submission support, and annual review.
PA7 - Species Management Plan
If your woodland is entering a Countryside Stewardship or England Woodland Creation Offer scheme, or you’re applying for a felling licence where deer are identified as a management consideration, a PA7 Species Management Plan is a formal requirement. It tells the Forestry Commission how deer pressure on the site will be managed, and without it, applications stall.
The plan covers the species present or likely to be present, the level of impact, how that will be addressed, and by whom. It needs to be coherent, site-specific, and structured in a way that satisfies the scheme requirements. A generic document usually isn’t enough.
Why it matters financially
Countryside Stewardship and EWCO grants can be worth thousands of pounds per year across a woodland holding. The PA7 plan is often one of the last pieces needed to unlock that funding. Delays at this stage have a direct cost, either in a late application window or a year lost waiting for the next round. Funding ranges from £204.79 per species, up to a maximum of £1,023.95 per approved plan.
What we need from you
- Site location and boundary map
- Site area in hectares
- The scheme or application context
- A summary of known deer activity, if available
- Any existing survey information, planting plans, or supporting notes
The more complete your submission, the more closely the plan will reflect your site. Where information is limited we will work with what is available and flag anything that could benefit from additional detail.
When you might need something more
If deer activity on the site hasn’t been assessed yet, or you’re not sure what species are present or what level of impact is occurring, a field survey or fuller management plan may be the right starting point. We can advise on this before you proceed.
Impact Assessments
Habitat Impact Assessment (HIA)
A Habitat Impact Assessment is a structured survey of your woodland that measures the effect deer are having on the vegetation, ground flora, and natural regeneration. It produces a graded record of impact, supported by photographic evidence, taken at fixed points across the site.
It is not a one-off exercise. Under WS1 and CWS1 grant agreements, you are required to carry out annual habitat impact assessments covering significant woodland habitats, including a graded impact summary and photographic evidence. That means it is a recurring compliance requirement for the life of your agreement, not something done once at the start and forgotten.
Why it matters
The HIA is the evidence base that sits behind your deer management. Without it, you cannot demonstrate whether your cull programme is working, whether impact is reducing over time, or whether your grant obligations are being met. At agreement reviews, this is the documentation your Forestry Commission or Natural England officer will look at.
It also protects you. A well-maintained HIA record gives you a clear, defensible picture of management delivery. If pressure increases, species behaviour changes, or your agreement comes up for review, you have the evidence to show what was done and what it achieved.
What it involves
An HIA typically covers browsing pressure on key species, suppression of natural regeneration, field layer condition, and any designated or sensitive habitats on the site. Results are graded and recorded against fixed photographic monitoring points so that change over time can be tracked consistently.
When you need one
If your woodland is in or entering a CWS1 or WS1 agreement, an HIA is a formal requirement. It is also good practice for any managed woodland where deer pressure is a factor, whether or not a grant agreement is in place.
Deer Impact Assessment
A Deer Impact Assessment is a field-based evaluation of the current level of deer activity and the damage being caused across a site. It looks at evidence of species presence, ranging behaviour, and the scale and type of impact on the woodland.
Where an HIA measures the habitat condition at fixed points over time, a Deer Impact Assessment takes a broader view of the site as a whole: what is here, where it is active, and what the realistic management needs are.
Why it matters
A solid deer impact assessment is the foundation for a credible grant application and shapes your control strategy. Without it, any deer management plan is built on assumptions rather than evidence, and grant bodies know the difference.
For CWS1 applications, baseline impact levels need to be recorded, with an indication of where the target level of impact is expected to be within five years. GOV.UK A properly conducted impact assessment gives you that baseline. It also gives your deer manager a clear operational picture: where to focus effort, what species are driving impact, and what realistic outcomes look like.
What it involves
The assessment covers species identification from field sign, activity mapping, browsing and grazing impact across vegetation types, regeneration condition, and an overall impact rating. The output is a structured report that can feed directly into a Deer Management Plan or PA7 application.
When you need one
At the start of any new management programme, before a CWS1 or PA7 application, or where impact has changed, the existing understanding of the site needs updating. It is also the right starting point if you are unsure whether a full management plan is yet needed.
Tel : +44 7808 911645
Email : ds@deermanagementservices.co.uk