Environmental stewardship

The Rural Development Programme for England has secured £2.9 billion of Environmental Stewardship (ES) funding for the period 2007-13.

This agri-environment scheme is administered by Natural England and encourages farmers and land managers in England to deliver effective environmental management on their land.

The objectives of Environmental Stewardship are to:

Conserve biodiversity
Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
Protect the historic environment and natural resources
Promote public access and understanding of the countryside

Environmental Stewardship has three elements:

Entry Level Stewardship (ELS)

ELS is open to all farmers and landowners and encourages them to deliver simple yet effective environmental management. There are a wide range of options to choose from including hedgerow management, stone wall maintenance, buffer strips and arable options, to suit all farming. The scheme offers a guaranteed payment of £30 per hectare every six months for five years.

Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS)

OELS is open to all farms where land is either fully organic or 'in conversion' to organic farming methods. It also includes a wide range of management options to choose from, including enhanced hedgerow management, buffer strips on intensive grassland and management of field corners. The scheme offers a guaranteed payment of £60 per hectare every six months for five years.

Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)

HLS aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in high-priority situations and areas. In the South West there are 26 Target Areas (TAs) covering over 1.2 million hectares, although priority features found outside the TAs also qualify for farm payments under the scheme. Unlike ELS and OELS entry into the scheme is discretionary. HLS applications require preparation of a Farm Environmental Plan and are assessed by taking into account how the application meets the environmental priorities identified in the local area. A wide range of management options are available and payments made every six months over a ten year period relate to the options chosen.

Further information and contacts

For information before applying or to request an application form, speak to a Natural England Adviser on 0300 060 1118. More information on all Environmental Stewardship schemes can be found on the Natural England website.