Countryside Stewardship is open to all eligible farmers, woodland owners, foresters and other land managers.
Applications for most elements of Countryside Stewardship are competitive, which means that applications will be scored against criteria, and that not everyone who applies will be successful. Targeting and scoring is designed to encourage applicants to choose options that help achieve the environmental priorities in their local area.
The main priority for Countryside Stewardship is to protect and enhance the natural environment, in particular the diversity of wildlife (biodiversity) and water quality. Other outcomes include:
• flood management;
• the historic environment;
• landscape character;
• genetic conservation; and
• educational access.
The scheme is jointly run by Natural England, Forestry Commission England and the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on behalf of Defra.
This single scheme supersedes the following schemes which are now closed to new applications:
• Environmental Stewardship (ES) including organic and upland strands;
• the English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS); and
• capital grants from the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme.
There are three main elements within Countryside Stewardship:
• Mid Tier: multi-year agreements for environmental improvements in the wider countryside, including multi-year management options and capital grants;
• Higher Tier: multi-year agreements for environmentally significant sites, commons and woodlands where more complex management requires support from Natural England or the Forestry Commission, including management options and capital grants; and
• Capital grants: a range of 1 to 2 year grants for hedgerows and boundaries, improving water quality, developing implementation plans, feasibility studies, woodland creation (establishment), woodland improvement and tree health.
The scheme also provides support for organic conversion and management and access to a facilitation fund.
For full information visit the government website
Adcice for farmers is available through the Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group. Gloucestershire FWAG may be contacted at:
www.gloucestershirefwag.org.ok
Tel: 01285 700830
