Glastir Welsh Environmental Scheme

ENVIRONMENTAL 14

Glastir Welsh Environmental Scheme

Glastir is the All-Wales Agri-Environment Scheme introduced by the Welsh Assembly Government. It is a 5 year whole farm sustainable land management scheme available to farmers and land managers across Wales. Since 2012 it has replaced the four existing agri-environment schemes, Tir Gofal, Tir Cynnal, Tir Mynydd and the Organic Farming Schemes.

Glastir will ensure that future environmental challenges can be met by:

• COMBATING CLIMATE CHANGE • IMPROVING WATER MANAGEMENT • MAINTAINING AND ENHANCING BIODIVERSITY

It is designed to deliver measurable outcomes at both a farm and landscape level in a cost effective way.

Glastir consists of three elements:

1. ALL-WALES ELEMENT (AWE)

A whole farm land management scheme which is open to application from all farmers and land managers throughout Wales. It is designed to provide support for the delivery of environmental benefits that meet today’s challenges and priorities. Successful applicants will make a commitment to deliver environmental goods for five years under a legally binding contract.

2. TARGETED ELEMENT (TE)

A part farm scheme intended to deliver significant improvements to the environmental status of a range of habitats, species, soils and water that might also require changes to current agricultural practices. In order to achieve these specific improvements and outcomes, financial support from the Welsh Government will be targeted at locations where action will lead to the required result.

3. COMMON LAND ELEMENT (CLE)

Designed to provide support for the delivery of environmental benefits on common land.

Option 32 Plant unsprayed root crops on improved grass and arable land

• White Turnips - see stubble turnip varieties and green globe turnips on page 38 • Swedes - see page 41 • Fodder Beet - see page 40 • Soft Yellow Turnips • Hardy Yellow Turnips

Option 33 Establish a wildlife cover crop on improved grass and arable land

For mixture option see WBS3 page 6. These mixtures must include at least 80% cereal with at least one of the following - mustard, linseed, rape. These mixtures are designed to provide both nesting sites and a food source for overwintering species such as tree sparrow, finches, buntings, skylark, grey partridge, yellowhammer and barn owl.

Option 153 Red clover must make up at least 80% of the sward

Mixtures of red clover cultivars are permitted as is using a percentage of birdsfoot trefoil seed.