AC3: Install and maintain signage 

How much you’ll be paid  

£55.65 per sign 

How this item benefits the environment 

Encouraging positive visitor behaviour helps manage, protect and enhance environmental features. 

Where you can use this item  

You can use this item item:

• on sites with public access to: 
  • to discourage damaging activity 
  • to encourage positive visitor behaviour 
  • to explain the environmental features of the site  
  • to explain the woodland tree health management and encourage biosecurity awareness (as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant)

  You can also use it alongside: 

  • Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) action WBD1: Manage Ponds 
  • in a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier application alongside management actions (with the agreement of your Natural England adviser) 
  • as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant

  You can also use it with these capital items: 

  • WN7: Restoration of large water bodies
  • WN12: Create or restore ponds up to 2 hectares

  You cannot use this item on any historic or archaeological features identified on your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER) without written approval from Historic England on:  

  • scheduled monuments  
  • registered parks and gardens  
  • registered battlefields  

  You must not use this item on Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (SHINE) sites without written approval from your local authority historic environment adviser. 

  What you must do to use this item 

  NearIn pondsall andareas, lakes, you must put up signs whichthat discourageencourage peoplepositive fromvisitor behaviour such as: 

  • not feeding wildfowlwildfowl 
  • keeping andto arepaths 
  • keeping appropriatedogs forunder thecontrol 

  On site,sites foraffected exampleby intree areaspests withor highdiseases, visitoruse footfallsigns orto publicgive access.information  about:

  • felling and visitor safety
  • biosecurity and how to prevent the spread of tree pests or diseases

  InNear allponds areas,and lakes, you must put up signs thatwhich encouragediscourage positivepeople visitorfrom behaviourfeeding suchwildfowl as: 

  • notand feedingare wildfowl 
  • keepingappropriate tofor paths 
  • keepingthe dogssite, underfor control 
  example in areas with high visitor footfall or public access.

  You cannot use this item on land in a Sustainable Farming Incentive or Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier permissive access action. 

  Evidence you must keep  

  You must keep photographs of the completed works and provide them with your claim. 

  You must also keep and provide on request: 

  • receipted invoices or a bank statement where receipted invoices are not available  
  • photographs of the completed works  
  • a map showing the proposed location of the signs 

  Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

  If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

  If you’re applying for this item in a Woodland Tree Health grant application, read the record-keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement Holder’s guide: Woodland Tree Health grants.

  Advice to help you use this item 

  The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.    

  You can use standard wording for the signage such as: 

  • ‘Please do not feed the ducks’ 
  • ‘Please keep to the path (sensitive habitat)’ 
  • ‘Please keep dogs under control (nesting birds)’
  • ‘At the end of your visit, clean the soil and leaves from your boots, bikes and buggies’