The Environmentally Sensitive Areas (Cairngorms Straths) Designation Order 1993

10.  The farmer shall prepare and agree with the Secretary of State a comprehensive farm conservation plan for his land, implement the terms of the plan and keep the operation of the plan under review. Each farm conservation plan will cover a 5 year period of the Scheme and shall–

(a) identify land and conservation features relevant to the requirements in paragraphs 1 to 9 above;

(b) if appropriate to the farm unit, contain details of the following farming operations:–

(i) a grazing plan and other measures necessary to conserve, enhance or extend areas of native woodland, amenity woodland and scrub and, if the farmer so wishes, limited amenity planting of trees;

(ii) a grazing plan and other measures necessary to conserve, enhance or extend areas of wetlands and water margins;

(iii) a grazing plan and other measures necessary to conserve, enhance or extend areas of herb rich unimproved grassland;

(iv) if the farmer so wishes, a grazing plan and other measures necessary for the regeneration and subsequent retention of heather and other areas of upland vegetation on specified areas of rough grazings;

(v) if the farmer so wishes, measures to restore dykes, stone fanks and ponds to standards consistent with conservation interests;

(vi) if the farmer so wishes, measures to improve the condition of features or areas of historic or archaeological interest;

(vii) if the farmer so wishes, the introduction or continuation of arable cropping in a manner which will conserve or enhance the environmental diversity of the inbye land by–

(a) restricting cultivations such as ploughing, harrowing and rolling to the period between 28th February and 15th May, or any date specified by the Secretary of State following consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage, except for root crops, where nests must be marked and avoided during operations;

(b) not applying herbicides or pesticides on headlands of arable fields at least 6 metres wide and leaving a 2 metre wide uncultivated strip along the headland;

(viii) if the farmer so wishes, to continue or introduce a low intensity system of conserving grass for winter keep which enhances the conservation value of mown fields by–

(a) applying low levels of fertiliser to existing pasture; and

(b) not rolling or harrowing the land after 15th May, or any date specified by the Secretary of State, following consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage; and

(c) cutting after 14th July, or any date specified by the Secretary of State following consultation with Scottish Natural Heritage; and

(d) cutting in a method that causes minimal damage to young birds.