Article 2 Interpretation

In this Order

• “agreement” means an agreement under section 18(3) of the Agriculture Act 1986 as respects agricultural land in the area designated by article 3;

• “eroded heather moorland” means moorland where more than 25% of the area of land subject to an agreement is bare ground as a result of reduced heather growth;

• “farmer” means a person who has an interest in agricultural land in the area designated by article 3 and who also has entered into an agreement with the Minister;

• “grassland” means land on which the vegetation consists primarily of grass species;

• “grazeable moorland” includes moorland areas other than areas which are cotton grass (Eriophorum vaginatum), bare ground, rock or scree with less than 10 per cent vegetation cover;

• “heather” means common heather (Calluna vulgaris), and includes common heather growing in association with other ericaceous dwarf shrub species;

• “inbye land” means enclosed land used for the production of grass or crops;

• “livestock unit” means—

  1. (a)

     1 bovine animal more than two years old; or

  2. (b)

     1.66 bovine animals from six months old to two years old inclusive; or

  3. (c)

     6.66 sheep;

• “managed woodland” means an area of at least one hectare of woodland for which, within two years of the start of an agreement, the farmer obtains approval for a grant either in connection with the management of the land for forestry purposes under section 1 of the Forestry Act 1979^f1 or in relation to the conservation and enhancement of a National Park under section 39 or 44 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981^f2;

• “meadowland” means grassland primarily used for the production of hay or silage;

• “moorland” means land covered by semi-natural upland vegetation which is generally unenclosed except along ownership boundaries;

• “suppressed heather moorland” means moorland where less than 25% of the area of land subject to an agreement comprises heather;

• “unimproved grassland” means grassland which has not been regularly ploughed, levelled, drained or reseeded, or treated with fertiliser, lime, slag, herbicides or pesticides;

• “woodland” means land used for woodland where that use is ancillary to the farming of land for other agricultural purposes.

Any reference in this Order to a numbered article or Schedule shall be construed as a reference to the article or Schedule bearing that number in this Order.