Natural England - Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship is an agri-environment scheme that provides funding to farmers and other land managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their land.

For information and how to apply in your area, contact your regional office.

Latest

  • (29 January 2010) An important upgrade to mapping data on the Rural Land Register took place in January 2010 and this has implications for the maps used in finalising ES agreements. To assist ES customers we have prepared a Q&A that answers General mapping update queries.

  • (18 January 2010) A series of four leaflets is now available to show how to make the most of Entry Level Stewardship options for farmland birds, farm wildlife, cleaner water, healthier soil and the historic environment.  Produced by Natural England, in conjunction with the Campaign for the Farmed Environment and a number of partner organisations, the leaflets are aimed at farmers joining ELS or renewing existing agreements. They are available from our publications catalogue.

  • (9 December 2009) The new 3rd Edition Environmental Stewardship Handbooks for Entry Level Stewardship (ELS), Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) are available on our website now.  They include new and revised options for farmers and land managers and details of the new Uplands strand of ELS and OELS.  The new handbooks become operational, as the legal basis for ES agreements, from 1 February 2010. Printed copies will be available from Natural England in late January. However we are making the handbooks available now, in electronic format, so that farmers and land managers can use them to plan agreements for their land, for finalisation from February 2010.

  • (October 2009) Uplands ELS will be launched early this year with new agreements coming on stream from 1 July 2010. This will succeed the Hill Farm Allowance which ends in 2010. We will be writing to all upland farmers this autumn to explain more about Uplands ELS. We will be running special Uplands ELS events - call 0113 230 3753 to find out about your local event. For more information see our publication Look after your uplands with Environmental Stewardship.

What are the aims of Environmental Stewardship?

The primary objectives of Environmental Stewardship are to:

  • conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
  • maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
  • protect the historic environment and natural resources
  • promote public access and understanding of the countryside
  • protect natural resources.

The secondary objectives of Environmental Stewardship are:

  • genetic conservation
  • flood management.

There are three elements to Environmental Stewardship:

  • Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides a straightforward approach to supporting the good stewardship of the countryside. This is done through simple and effective land management that goes beyond the Single Payment Scheme requirement to maintain land in good agricultural and environmental condition. It is open to all farmers and landowners.

  • Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS) is the organic strand of ELS. It is geared to organic and organic/conventional mixed farming systems and is open to all farmers not receiving Organic Farming Scheme aid.

  • Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) involves more complex types of management, where land managers need advice and support, and agreements are tailored to local circumstances. HLS applications will be assessed against specific local targets and agreements will be offered where they meet these targets and represent good value for money.

Further information

Background information on Environmental Stewardship can be found in Look after your land with Environmental Stewardship.

For more information about Environmental Stewardship, contact your regional office or go to an event in your area for farmers and land managers.

Environmental Stewardship builds on the recognised success of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.

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