Farmers

Rural Stewardship Schemes

The Archaeology Service examines all Rural Stewardship Schemes (RSS) within Aberdeenshire, Moray and Angus council areas.

The RSS is an agri-environment scheme designed to encourage farmers, crofters and common grazing committees to adopt environmentally friendly practices and to maintain and enhance particular habitats and landscape features such as archaeological sites.

The management of sites within RSSs must be agreed in advance and may include:

• controls over grazing
• the cutting and removal of trees scrub and woody plants
• the repair of erosion damage
• the establishment of unploughed buffer zones
• the realignment of fences or tracks
• re-siting of hard standings or feeding sites

For areas containing archaeological sites revealed only by crop marks, the site with a minimum 10 metre buffer zone beyond the visible remains must be taken out of cropping and sown to grass. The management of the site must be agreed in advance. When establishing the sward, the ploughing depth must not exceed 100 mm.

Scottish Executive Guidance

Full text on the guidelines on RSS's issued by the Scottish Executive.

The Council Scottish Archaeology's (CSA)explaination of the RSS Policy & Regulations including Tier structure and payment levels.

The CSA has also produced a series of useful Archaeology & Farming Advice Notes.

Consultation

When the Archaeology Service is consulted over a RSS we:

• carry out a search of all known sites within the scheme's boundary
• check and record the 1867, 1888, 1928 & 1938 OS maps for sites including old farmsteads
• check and record new sites from our vertical aerial photograph collection
• where necessary visit in person the scheme on the ground

Once this data has been collated a management plan for the sites is formed. A graded charge, depending on size of scheme etc, will be levied for this service.

Contact

For further information and queries please contact Moira Greig Tel: 01224 664726