Muirburn licensing - guidance for applicants

Question: How will you use muirburn to manage the habitats of moorland game or wildlife?

Required information: Helpful details could include the desired outcome of burning, what impact it will have on the habitat, and how this will affect moorland game or wildlife. Details on the species of moorland game or wildlife affected should also be provided.

What we will be looking for:

1. Whether the aim of burning has been explained. For example, to provide fresh shoots and a mosaic of heather heights for moorland game birds.
2. A species of moorland game or wildlife has been referenced, for example, red grouse.

Question: How will you use muirburn to improve the grazing potential of moorland for livestock?

Required information: Helpful details could include the desired outcome of burning, number of livestock grazing, and what impact muirburn will have on the grazing potential of the area. You should also explain what existing vegetation can be found in the proposed burn areas (dominant species) and what plants you expect muirburn to encourage.

What we will be looking for:

1. Moorland vegetation such as new heather growth will be encouraged through burning.
2. Livestock is grazing the area.

Required information: We need to understand what the aims are. For example, to remove encroaching scrub and how muirburn will help with this. 

You may wish to provide supporting information for this purpose. For example, images that show the natural environment that needs to be restored, enhanced or managed.

What we will be looking for:

1. The natural environment has been adequately described.
2. It is clear which habitat or species muirburn is being used to manage.
3. It is clear why the habitat or species needs to be conserved, restored, enhanced or managed and the use of muirburn will achieve the outcome.

The current evidence base indicates that there are limited circumstances where muirburn will be appropriate and necessary for restoration of the natural environment on peatland. We will assess applications on their merits and information presented.

Question 1: What natural environment do you want to restore?

Required informationA clear description of the natural environment; this could be a type of heath or other peatland or moorland habitats.

Question 2: Why does it need to be restored?

Required information: We need a clear explanation of what has changed and why the area needs to be restored. It could be that the peatland itself needs to be restored because it has been degraded. Other examples could be the restoration of vegetation communities associated with that type of peatland.

Question 3: What are your aims for the land? How will muirburn help meet your aim(s)?

Required information: We need a clear explanation of what the objective for the area of land is and a clear explanation of how muirburn will help. You can also provide details of any other management measures you are taking to support this aim, for example, reducing grazing and trampling pressures.

You may wish to provide supporting information for this purpose. For example, photographs over time showing a change to demonstrate why restoration is required.

What we will be looking for:

1. There is a clear explanation of the need for restoration which is in support of peatland vegetation/communities/processes.
2. Muirburn is necessary to achieve the purpose.

Note: Restoration applications that seek to move away from a peatland environment / habitat are unlikely to be approved.

You must identify areas within the landholding that you wish to burn for this purpose. The areas you wish to burn must focus on strategic fire prevention. You can use muirburn to create firebreaks and/or to reduce fuel load in a targeted way within the identified area(s).

Our assessment of peatland purposes will be subject to further considerations such as: intended scale of burning, risks presented, the likely outcome, and whether the desired outcome could be achieved on non - peatland.

Question: How will you use muirburn to reduce the risk of wildfires causing damage to habitats

Required information: Explain what habitat/s is at risk and how muirburn will help reduce the risk of wildfires causing damage to it. You must also provide a wildfire risk and mitigation plan. This will help you evidence the wildfire risks present and your approach to reducing this risk. You will also be asked to provide a map of your holding with the defined areas that you would like to burn annotated on it. Download risk and mitigation plan template.

What we are looking for:

The wildfire risk and mitigation plan may show several areas for this purpose. The following information should be provided for each area:

1. A specific or strategic wildfire risk is presented in the wildfire risk and mitigation plan. 
2. A clear description of the habitat/s at risk
3. A clear explanation of how muirburn will help to reduce or prevent the risk of wildfires
4. Where applying to make muirburn on peatland we will require information on the scale of muirburn, the desired outcome, and why the desired outcome cannot be achieved on non-peatland

You must identify areas within the landholding that you wish to burn for this purpose. The areas you wish to burn must focus on strategic fire prevention. You can use muirburn to create firebreaks and/or to reduce fuel load in a targeted way within the identified area(s).

Our assessment of peatland purposes will be subject to further considerations such as: intended scale of burning, risks presented, the likely outcome, and whether the desired outcome could be achieved on non-peatland.

Question: How will you use muirburn to reduce the risk of wildfires causing harm to people or damage to property?

Required information: Explain what property is at risk or how people may be harmed and how muirburn will help reduce the risk of wildfires causing damage to property or harm to people. You must also provide a wildfire risk and mitigation plan. This will help you evidence the wildfire risks present and your approach to reducing this risk. You will also be asked to provide a map of your holding with the defined areas that you would like to burn annotated on it. Download risk and mitigation plan template.

What we are looking for:

The wildfire risk and mitigation plan may show several areas for this purpose. The following information should be provided for each area:

1. A specific or strategic wildfire risk is presented in the wildfire risk and mitigation plan
2. A clear description of the property you are trying to protect or the area which may put people at risk of harm
3. It is clear how muirburn will help to achieve this purpose
4. Where applying to make muirburn on peatland we will require information on the scale of muirburn, the desired outcome, and why the desired outcome cannot be achieved on non-peatland
    

Question 1: What is the aim of your research?

Question 2: How will the research be carried out?

Question 3: Upload research proposal

What we are looking for:

1. There is a clear proposal which outlines the need for research.
2. There is a defined aim for the research.
3. A competent methodology is outlined.
4. The outcomes from the research will be used appropriately, i.e. published/shared or inform other critical work.
5. Where applying to make muirburn on peatland we will require details on why the research has to be carried out on peatland and cannot be carried out on non-peatland. 

Question 1: Do you understand the licensing requirements?

Question 2: Why is training required on peatland?

What we will be looking for:

1. The course is being delivered by an approved training provider.
2. The applicant has agreed to report on the date(s), size of area burnt, number of trainees and training provider.
3. Why is  it necessary for the training to take place, on peatland (peatland only)