look after your land with environmental stewardship · pdf filehelping you conserve and...

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www.naturalengland.org.uk/es

Look after your land withEnvironmental Stewardship.February 2011.

look after your land with Environmental Stewardship February 2011

Contents.

Entry Level (ELS) - 6.

Key information, Example points table, Case study - Dave Goodwin.

Where you can get help - 22.

Office opening times and office contact details.

Welcome to the new, interactive Look after your land with Environmental Stewardship.

This is an interactive document which has been designed first and foremost to be viewed on screen. However, should you wish to read a hard copy it has been designed in a format that is easy to print too.

The big ‘click’.This document includes interactive links and features to make it easier to use. All tabs are clickable as are the contents allowing you to move around the document as you please. You’ll also find helpful information and navigation tools in the bottom bar.

Extra information can also be obtained by clicking underlined text or wherever you find this symbol . Coloured double arrows indicate that there is further section information on the following page.

Uplands Entry Level (UELS) - 9.

Key information, video case study - Marshall Waller.

Higher Level (HLS) - 14.

Key information, Farm Environment Plan (FEP), Case Study - Chris Dowse.

Application.

What you should do before applying - 19.

How to apply - 20.

What to do if you are already in an agri-environment scheme? - 21.

Organic Entry Level (OELS).

Key information, Example points table, Case study - Chris Hodgson - 12.

Mixed agreements, Claims, Converting to organic - 13.

Introduction.

Helping you conserve and enhance England’s countryside - 3.

Environmental Stewardship - 4.

Campaign for the farmed environment (CFE) - 5.

2look after your land with Environmental Stewardship February 2011

Helping you conserve and enhanceEngland’s countryside.

Environmental Stewardship (ES) is a government scheme open to all farmers, land managers and tenants in England.

Through it you can be financially rewarded for your on-going good stewardship of the land and managing it to improve the quality of the environment.

Environmental Stewardship has ensured that thousands of farmers and land managers have the funding and advice available to help them undertake work to conserve and improve the countryside – delivering environmental benefits throughout England.

Funding and advice through Environmental Stewardship is helping land managers to conserve, enhance and promote the countryside by:

■ looking after wildlife, species and their many habitats;

■ ensuring land is well managed and retains its traditional character;

■ protecting historic features and natural resources;

■ ensuring traditional livestock and crops are conserved; and

■ providing opportunities for people to visit and learn about the countryside.

Underlying these benefits, Environmental Stewardship is helping the natural environment to adapt to climate change, for example, by reducing greenhouse gas emissions, providing and protecting carbon storage, and helping to manage flooding.

Environmental Stewardship is a key part of the government and EU funded Rural Development Programme for England 2007-2013 supporting sustainable agriculture throughout the countryside. The scheme is administered by Natural England on behalf of Defra.

Existing agreement holders find that Environmental Stewardship fits neatly alongside their farming systems – regardless of farm type – providing them with targeted financial support and guidance on what to do.

Just under 70% of England’s agricultural land is now under an environmental agreement, covering nearly six and a half million hectares of land in over 57,000 agreements.

What does Keith Siddom of Meadow Bank Farm think of Entry Level Stewardship?Watch video to find out.

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Please note, video opens in another window.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQOkILQgNgk

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Environmental Stewardship.

Entry Level Stewardship (ELS).

With over 60% of England’s agricultural land now in Entry Level Stewardship, this is the basic underlying scheme open to all farmers and land managers in England. The scheme provides you with a straightforward approach to delivering simple and effective environmental management across your whole farm, that complements your existing farming operation, and allows you to create your own practical environmental management programme.

See page 6 for key information.

ELS agreements are for five years.

You can apply for ELS online.

Uplands Entry Level Stewardship (UELS).

Uplands ELS was introduced in February 2010 is specific to upland farms.

The scheme is open to all farmers and land managers in England s̀ Severely Disadvantaged Areas and provides additional payments for eligible land. As with ELS you can also apply online


Uplands ELS and Uplands OELS agreements are also for five years.

You can apply for Uplands ELS online.

Organic Entry Level Stewardship (OELS).

OELS is specific to organic and organic/conventional mixed farming systems.


OELS agreements are also for five years.

Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).

HLS is a targeted and competitive scheme that is only available to farmers and land managers in particular areas of the country (see Natural England website for details) or with particular high priority features on their holding.

HLS aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in priority areas. It involves more complex environmental management requiring support and advice from our local advisers, to develop a comprehensive agreement that achieves a wide range of environmental benefits over a longer period of time.


HLS agreements last ten years.


http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es/els/online/default.aspx


http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es/hls/targeting/default.aspx


Campaign for The Farmed Environment (CFE).

Campaign for The Farmed Environment (CFE) was introduced in November 2009 and is supported by organisations from across the farming industry to form a wide partnership that recognises the importance of managing the farmed environment voluntarily.

The CFE’s objective is to retain and exceed the environmental benefits that were established under ‘set-aside’ . The industry has until 2012 to

make this voluntary approach work otherwise regulation may be put in place, resulting in more red tape and expense for all.

By entering or renewing an Environmental Stewardship agreement and choosing ‘key target’ options, you will be supporting the Campaign.

For more information and how to get involved go to CFE online.

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http://www.cfeonline.org.uk/

Entry Level Stewardship.

Key information.

Acceptance into Entry Level Stewardship is determined by a simple points per hectare calculation across your whole farm. Providing you achieve your points target, meet the scheme conditions and agree to deliver the options you have chosen, you will automatically receive funding.

You earn points for the range of environmental management options you agree to provide over the course of the agreement. There are over 65 management options to choose from, suitable for most farm types such as hedgerow management, providing wild bird cover and creating buffer strips.

In general you must achieve a total of 30 points per ha, and in return you will receive funding of £30 per hectare, per year, for your whole farm (a lower rate applies to larger parcels of land above the Moorland Line. For more information, please visit our website.

For example:A 100 ha lowland holding would need 3,000 (30 x 100) points to qualify for ELS, and would receive an annual payment of £3,000.

You could achieve those 3,000 points in many ways. See table below.

Option descriptionPoints

available MeasurementYour

points

Enhanced hedgerow management 42 per 100m 500 m 210

Permanent grassland with low inputs 85 per ha 8 ha 680

Ditch management 24 per 100m 750m 180

Management of field corners 400 per ha 1 ha 400

Wild bird seed mixture 450 per ha 2 ha 900

12m buffer strips for watercourses on cultivated land

400 per ha 1.5 ha 600

Skylark plots 5 per plot 18 plots 90

Total 3,060

Advice.We have a wide range of advice and training to help you sign up or renew your ELS agreement. Call 0300 060 1695 to book a free farm visit or a place on one of our training events or go to the farm events page of our website. These events/visits will show you how to apply, choose and

locate the right options for your farm and local area, whilst demonstrating how to manage them for the best environmental outcomes.

How to apply.The easiest way to apply is online or you can contact your local Natural England office (see page 22).

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Case study

David Goodwin“I found the application process simple”

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Examples of managementoptions available for ELS and OELS.

Option description UnitsELS

pointsOELS

points

Options for boundary features

Hedgerow management (on both sides of hedge) 100 m 22 22

Hedgerow management (on one side of hedge) 100 m 11 11

Enhanced hedgerow management 100 m 42 42

Ditch management 100 m 24 24

Stone wall protection and maintenance 100 m 15 15

Options for trees and woodland

Protection of in-field trees on arable land Tree 16 16

Protection of in-field trees on grassland Tree 11 11

Maintenance of woodland fences 100 m 4 4

Management of woodland edges ha 380 380

Establishment of hedgerow trees by tagging Tree 1 1

Hedgerow tree buffer strips on cultivated land/grassland ha 400 500

Options for historic and landscape features

Maintenance of weatherproof traditional farm buildings m2 2 2

Examples of options and points available under ELS and OELS. Please refer to the ELS or OELS Handbooks for a complete list of the options available.

Options with CFE logo support Campaign for the farmed environment.


pointsOELS

points

Take out of cultivation archaeological features on cultivated land

ha 460 600

Management of scrub on archaeological features ha 120 120

Management of archaeological features on grassland ha 16 16

Options for buffer strips and field margins

2 m buffer strips on cultivated/rotational land ha 300 400



2 m buffer strips on intensive/organic grassland ha 300 400



6m buffer strips on cultivated/intensive grassland next to a watercourse

ha 400 500

Buffering in-field ponds in improved/organic grassland ha 400 500

Buffering in-field ponds in arable/rotational land ha 400 500

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pointsOELS

points

Options for arable land

Management of field corners ha 400 500

Wild bird mixture ha 450 550

Nectar flower mixture ha 450 550

Overwintered stubbles ha 120 150

Extended overwintered stubbles ha 410 n/a

Beetle banks ha 580 750

Skylark plots plot 5 5

Options to encourage a range of crop types

Undersown spring cereal ha 200 150

Cereals for whole-crop silage followed by overwintered stubbles

ha 230 250

Options to protect soils and water

Management of maize crops to reduce soil erosion ha 18 18

12m buffer strips for watercourses on cultivated land ha 400 500

Maintenance of watercourse fencing 100 m 4 4

Winter cover crops ha 65 65

Options for grassland outside the Severely Disadvantaged Areas (SDAs)

Take corners out of management ha 400 500

Permanent grassland with low inputs ha 85 115

Permanent grassland with very low inputs ha 150 180

Management of rush pastures ha 150 180


pointsOELS

points

Option for mixed stocking on grassland

Mixed stocking ha 9 9

Options for grassland and moorland inside the SDA’s

Take field corners out of management in SDAs ha 100 100

Permanent grassland with low inputs in SDAs ha 35 35

Permanent grassland with very low inputs in SDAs ha 60 60

Management of rush pastures in SDAs ha 60 60

Enclosed rough grazing in SDAs ha 35 35

Please note that from time to time it may become necessary to review options and payment rates under the scheme. Please check with your adviser or the Natural England website for the latest information on specific options and payment rates.

ELS and OELS options continued.

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What does Marshall Waller of Blaze Farm think of Uplands Entry Level Stewardship?Watch video to find out.

Please note, video opens in another window.

Uplands Entry Level Stewardship.

Key information.

Launched in February 2010, supporting hill farmers with payments for environmental management. Uplands ELS follows on from the Hill Farm Allowance which had its final payments to farmers in 2010.

Uplands ELS is open to all farmers with land in Severely Disadvantaged Areas(SDA), regardless of the size of your holding. There are many differentmanagement options to choose from, such as cattle grazing and maintenance of traditional farm buildings – ensuring that you have the flexibility to select the right options for your farm business.

The standard payment rate is £62 per ha per year (£23/ha on moorland parcels of 15ha or more) – this provides a secure, regular payment for your farm business. You can also choose from a range of capital works such as stone wall restoration and woodland/watercourse fencing.

Providing you meet a points target and agree to carry out simple, yeteffective environmental work (including some standard requirements) on your upland farm, you will be accepted into the scheme.

How to apply.The easiest way to apply is online or you can contact your local Natural England office (see page 22).

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See following pages for example management

options for UELS

© Fotovoyager


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffJIHXDiRIM


New Options for Uplands ELSMoorland parcels

15 ha or larger

Moorland parcels smaller

than 15 ha

Grassland and arable below the

Moorland Line

Stone-faced hedge bank management on or above the Moorland Line24 points per 100m where management is carried out on both sides of the bank12 points per 100m where management is carried out on one side of the bank

█ █

Stone wall protection and maintenance on or above the Moorland Line32 points per 100m

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Earth bank management on or above the Moorland Line18 points per 100m where management is carried out on both sides of the bank9 points per 100m where management is carried out on one side of the bank

█ █

Hedgerow restorationMaximum 40m per year, 10 points per m

█ █ █

Stone-faced hedge bank restorationMaximum 40m per year, 55 points per m

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Earth bank restorationMaximum 40m per year, 12.5 points per m

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Stone wall restorationMaximum 40m per year, 30 points per m

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Sheep fencing around small woodsMaximum 500m erected in year one50 points per 100m per year

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Examples of managementoptions available for UELS.

In addition to a set of standard requirements applied to all SDA land (moorland, commons and grassland/arable categories), agreement holders will also need to deliver one or more options to meet the points target for the holding. Options can be selected from the existing suite of ELS options and/or from new Uplands ELS options. They include a limited number of capital items in recognition of the importance of the upland landscape, for example, the restoration of stone walls, stone hedge banks and earth banks.

You can find details of all ELS and Uplands ELS options in the Entry Level Stewardship Handbook available online or from your local Natural England office (see page 22).

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http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/es

New Options for Uplands ELSMoorland parcels

15 ha or larger

Moorland parcels smaller

than 15 ha

Grassland and arable below the

Moorland Line

Woodland livestock exclusion75 points per ha

█

Maintenance of weatherproof traditional farm buildings in remote locations4 points per m² of ground floor area

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Maintaining visibility of archaeological features53 points per feature (one or more item within a radius or length of 50m)

█ █

Post and wire fencing along watercoursesMaximum 500m erected in year one50 points per 100m per year

█

Winter livestock removal next to streams, rivers and lakes35 points per ha

█

No supplementary feeding on moorland4 points per ha

█ █

Cattle grazing on upland grassland and moorland30 points per ha

█ █ █

Haymaking60 points per ha

█

No cutting strip within meadows250 points per ha of strip

█

Management of enclosed rough grazing for birds35 points per ha

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Management of upland grassland for birds37 points per ha

█

UELS options continued.

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Organic Entry Level Stewardship.

Key information.

Before you make an application, the land you want to put into OELS must be registered as ‘fully organic’ or ‘in conversion to organic farming’ with an Organic Inspection Body.

(Copies of your valid certificates of registration and accompanying schedules must be submitted with your application).

As with ELS, you will receive a fixed payment – of £60 per ha, per year – for all organic land you enter into the scheme. In return for these payments, you will be required to deliver 60 points worth of management options, per ha of your organic land.

The OELS points are calculated in two ways:■ You will automatically receive 30

points per ha for the organic land

you enter into the scheme, to reflect the inherent environmental benefits delivered through organic farming.

■ The remaining 30 points will be made up from your chosen management options.

Please note that organic land in parcels of 15ha or more, within the

Option descriptionPoints

available MeasurementYour

points

Automatic points achieved for organic land 30 points per ha 100 ha 3,000

Enhanced hedgerow management 42 per 100 m 500 m 210

Permanent grassland with low inputs 115 per ha 8 ha 920

Stone wall protection and maintenance 15 per 100m 800 m 120

Management of field corners 500 per ha 1 ha 500

Wild bird seed mixture 550 per ha 1.5 ha 825

4 m buffer strips on intensive grassland 500 per ha 1.5 ha 750

Skylark plots 5 per plot 18 plots 90

Total 6,415

Case study

Chris Hodgson“We have noticed

an increase in a huge variety of

species”

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Moorland Line is NOT eligible for OELS – it must be in ELS, for which the payment rate is £8 per ha per year.

For more information on Organic ELS please visit our website.

For example:A 100 ha lowland holding would need 6,000 (60 x 100) points to qualify for

OELS, and would receive an annual payment of £6,000.

You could achieve those 6,000 points in many ways. (See table)

How to apply.To apply for an OELS agreement please please call 0300 060 0011.


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Mixed agreements.

If you have a mix of organic and conventional land on your farm you should apply for an OELS agreement. You will receive £60 per ha, per year, for all the OELS eligible land you enter into the scheme, and £30 per ha for your ELS eligible land

Please note, some of the options available under ELS are not available on organically managed land as they are inappropriate for organic systems (e.g. conservation headlands).

Converting to organic.

There are top-up payments available for converting conventionally farmed land and established top fruit orchards. Payments are £175 per ha for two years for improved land and £600 per ha for established top fruit orchards

(pears, plums, cherries, and apples – excluding cider apples). This land must not have previously been converted to full organic production, it must also be registered as ‘in conversion to organic farming’ with an Organic Inspection Body and be in its first year of conversion before an application is made.

Free organic conversion advice is now available from Natural England (until 31 March 2011) to help you consider the practical implications of converting to organic production.

For more information on Organic ELS please visit our website.

There are now over 2,800 OELS agreements nationally, covering over 300,000 hectares of organic land.

Some of the organic flock at Piercebridge Farm.


http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es/oels/default.aspx

See following pages for example management options

and capital items for HLS

Higher Level Stewardship.

Key information.

HLS is being targeted in 110 areas across England. These target areas are where Natural England are seeking the most environmental benefits from HLS agreements for wildlife, landscape, the historic environment and resource protection. Outside these areas, we will consider all other applications depending upon the current national priorities and features present on the particular holding.

When you apply for HLS you must also apply for, or already be in, Entry Level Stewardship (in all but a few specific situations).

Depending on the features on your farm, there are a variety of HLS management options and capital items which may be suitable to deliver the best environmental outcomes. But, unlike ELS, the level of payments you receive depends on the number of options you are able to deliver.

As mentioned, HLS is a targeted and competitive scheme that is only available to farmers and land managers in particular areas of the country (see Natural England website for details) or with particular high priority features on their holding.

It is important that you contact one of our advisers before proceeding with an HLS application to discuss the likely content and success of an application.

A key element of the HLS application is a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) which identifies the important environmental features on your farm and their current condition. You will also need approval from one of our advisers before proceeding with a FEP.

To talk to a local adviser about applying for HLS and the FEP, contact your local Natural England office (see page 22) or call 0300 060 0011.

Capital Works.

Payments are also available for a wide range of capital works, such as hedging, pond creation or historic building restoration.You may claim for capital works on completion at any time (each claim must exceed £500).

All scheme details are provided in the HLS and FEP handbooks & accompanying supplements, available from your local Natural England office on request and online.

Case study

Chris Dowse“...it is impossible to seperate the environment from running a successful farm business.”

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Option description Units Payment

Hedgerow options

Management of hedgerows of very high environmental value (both sides)

100 m £54

Management of hedgerows of very high environmental value (one side)

100 m £27

Woodland, trees and scrub options

Ancient trees in arable/intensely managed grass fields tree £25

Maintenance/restoration of wood pasture and parkland ha £180

Maintenance/restoration of woodland ha £100

Creation/maintenance/restoration of successional areas and scrub ha £100

Orchard options

Maintenance of high-value traditional orchards ha £250

Restoration of traditional orchards ha £250

Maintenance of traditional orchards in production ha £95

Creation of traditional orchards ha £190

Historic environment options

Crop establishment by direct drilling (non-rotational) ha £70

Arable reversion by natural regeneration ha £500

Examples of managementoptions available for HLS.

Examples of management options available under HLS.Please refer to the HLS Handbook for a complete list of the options available.


Restoration of traditional water meadows ha £350

Maintaining high water levels to protect archaeology ha £240

Arable options

Enhanced wild bird seed mix plots (rotational or non rotational) ha £475

Unharvested, fertiliser-free conservation headlands ha £440

Cultivated fallow plots or margins for arable plants ha £440

Resource protection options

Arable reversion to unfertilised grassland to prevent erosion or run-off ha £280

Arable reversion to grassland with low fertiliser input to prevent erosion or run-off

ha £210

Grassland options

Maintenance/restoration of species-rich, semi–natural grassland ha £200

Creation of species-rich, semi-natural grassland ha £280

Maintenance/restoration of wet grassland for breeding waders ha £335

Hay-making supplement ha £75

Cattle grazing supplement ha Up to £35

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Moorland and upland rough grazing options

Maintenance/restoration of moorland ha £40

Creation of upland heathland ha £60

Maintenance/restoration of rough grazing for birds ha £80

Seasonal livestock exclusion supplement ha £10

Lowland heathland options

Maintenance of lowland heathland ha £200

Restoration of heathland ha £200

Creation of lowland heathland from arable or improved grassland ha £450

Inter-tidal and coastal options

Maintenance/restoration of sand dunes ha £140

Creation of inter-tidal and saline habitat on arable land ha £700

Wetland options

Maintenance of ponds of high wildlife value (less than 100m2) pond £90

Maintenance of ponds of high wildlife value (more than 100m2) pond £180

Creation of reedbeds ha £380

Maintenance/restoration of reedbeds ha £60

Creation of fen ha £380

Maintenance/restoration of fen ha £60

Additional supplements

Supplement for difficult sites ha £50

Supplement for small fields ha £35

Supplement for control of invasive plant species ha £60

Please note that from time to time it may become necessary to review options and payment rates under the scheme. Please check with your adviser or the Natural England website for the latest information on specific options and payment rates.

HLS options continued.

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Some examples of capital itemsavailable for payment under HLS.


Hedgerow restoration including laying, coppicing and gapping up m £7

Hedgerow planting – new hedges m £5

Hedgerow supplement – removal of old fence lines m £0.60

Hedgerow supplement – substantial pre-work m £2.40

Hedgerow supplement – top binding and staking m £2.40

Stone wall restoration m £30.00

Stone-faced hedge bank restoration m £55.00

Earth bank restoration m £10.10

Ditch, dyke and rhine restoration m £2.90

Sheep fencing m £2.50

Post and wire m £2.50

Deer fencing m £4

Rabbit fencing supplement m £1.50

Permanent electric fencing m £1.20

Tree and shrub/whips and transplants plus planting each £1.60

Tree tube and stake each £0.50

Standard parkland tree/hedgerow tree and planting each £7.50

Planting fruit trees each £17

Examples of capital items which are also available for payment under HLS.Please refer to the HLS Handbooks for a complete list of the options available.


Orchard tree guard – tube and mesh each £3.30

Orchard tree pruning each £17

Coppicing bankside trees each £29

Tree surgery, minor – to include minor pollarding each £43

Tree surgery, major – to include major pollarding each £89

Tree removal m3 £25

Creation of ditches – rhines and dykes m2 £3.60

Grip blocking drainage channels per block £4.30

Soil bund each £149

Culvert each £153

Timber sluice each £314

Creation of temporary ponds – first 100 m2 m2 £1.40

Creation of temporary ponds – over 100 m2 m2 £0.90

Pond creation – first 100 m2 m2 £3

Pond creation – over 100 m2 m2 £1

Pond restoration – first 100 m2 m2 £2.10

Pond restoration – over 100 m2 m2 £0.80

Native seed mix 100% of costs

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Cattle drinking bay each £119

Cattle grids each £538

Water supply m £2

Water trough each £85

Mechanical bracken control – base paymentPer

agreement,per year

£106

Mechanical bracken control – area payment ha £48

Chemical bracken control – base paymentPer

agreement,per year

£61

Chemical bracken control – area payment ha £112

Removal of eyesore each £120

Otter holt – log construction each £108

Bat/bird box each £28

Small mammal boxes each £10

Badger gates each £27

Historical and archaeological feature protection up to 1 00% of costs

Special projects no set payment

Professional help with management plan each £400

Bridle gate 1 00% of costs

Kissing gate 1 00% of costs

Dog gate 1 00% of costs

Timber stile 1 00% of costs

Please note that from time-to-time it may become necessary to review options and payment rates under the scheme. Please check with your adviser or the Natural England website for the latest information on specific options and payment rates.

Capital items continued.

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Bench 1 00% of costs

Helping prepare Teacher’s Information Pack 1 00% of costs


What you should do before applying.

Before you can apply for Environmental Stewardship, all of the land that you intend to enter into the scheme must be registered with the Rural Payment Agency’s (RPA) Rural Land Register (RLR).

You must also make sure you have a vendor number – which is a unique trader registration number – allocated by the RPA. If you have previously claimed payments under the Integrated Administration and Control System (IACS), Single Payment Scheme (SPS) or an Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) scheme, you will have already been issued with a vendor number. If not, you must obtain one from the RPA Customer Service Centre in Newcastle.

Customer Service CentreRural Payments AgencyPO Box 1058Newcastle-upon-Tyne NE99 4YQ

E-mail: [email protected]

Phone: 0845 6037777Or visit their website.

If you are a tenant farmer you will need to have management control over your land for 5 years for Entry Level or for 10 years for Higher Level. If you are in doubt, contact your Natural England office. See page 22. Trimming hedges less

frequently can provide flowers, berries and habitats for wildlife.

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How to apply.

Online.Applying online is quick and easy and has many advantages:■ it is easier to make alterations

to your application before it is submitted;

■ there is a calculator to convert your mapping measurements into ELS points;

■ it saves considerable time when submitting applications.

To apply online, phone:0300 060 3934Or e-mail:[email protected] for further information visit our website.

Entry Level Stewardship and Uplands Entry Level Stewardship.

You can choose to apply for ELS or Uplands ELS online or by post.

By post.To receive an application pack call 0300 060 0011 to be put through to your local Natural England office. You will need to provide the following information:■ your name and correspondence

address;■ your vendor number; and■ the County Parish Holding (CPH)

number/s covering the eligible RLR land parcels you are entering into ELS/OELS.

We will then send you a pre-filled application pack

Organic Entry Level Stewardship.

Applications should be made by post as they cannot be made online.

Higher Level Stewardship.

You should contact your local Natural England office for a pre-applicationdiscussion. Applications should be made by post as they cannot be made online.

Over the past 50 years, the condition of England’s dry stone

walls has rapidly deteriorated – through Environmental Stewardship,

over 23,000 km of them are now being protected and restored.

Rebuilding a dry stone wall on Stanbury Moor.

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What to do if you are already in an agri-environment scheme.

If you receive payments from otheragri-environment schemes, for example, Countryside Stewardship (CSS), Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA), Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) and Habitat Scheme (HAB), or have an English Heritage management agreement or Wildlife Enhancement Scheme (WES) on your holding, you may still be able to apply for Environmental Stewardship on other land that is not receiving direct funding under these schemes.

If you have a part-farm CSS or ESA agreement, you should be able to apply for ELS on your remaining land.

If your existing CSS or ESA agreement is coming to an end, we can provide advice to help your smooth transition into Environmental Stewardship. We do have opportunities for early transfer into Environmental Stewardship from your existing scheme, mainly where HLS can secure

better management for environmental priorities. If you are considering early transfer, you should discuss this with your Natural England adviser.

If you have an Organic Farming Scheme (OFS) maintenance agreement you can transfer to OELS without waiting for your agreement to end. However, If you have an OFS conversion agreement, you will not be able to transfer your land until it has been fully converted, i.e. until after it has completed year 2 of conversion for improved land and year 3 for top fruit orchards.

If you farm land that is subject to a Countryside Stewardship Scheme or Environmentally Sensitive Area agreement, that land will not be eligible for Uplands ELS until the agreement comes to an end. In the meantime, you may be able to claim the Uplands Transitional Payment and should check with the Rural Payments Agency (RPA).

Farmland birds.Environmental Stewardship agreements are supporting efforts to reverse the decline in farmland birds. For example, over 18,000 skylark plots are providing breeding skylark pairs with a

suitable habitat in cereal crops throughout the breeding season.

Environmental Stewardship has also helped deliver increases in the numbers of grey partridge, stone curlew and cirl bunting.

Skylark nest.

© N

atural Englan

d/P.N

. Watts


East Midlands.Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Rutland.

Natural EnglandISS East MidlandsPO Box 8296Nottingham NG8 3WZ

Tel: 0300 060 [email protected]

East of England.Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex,Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk.

Natural EnglandISS East PO Box 247Cambridge CB2 2WW


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Where you can get help.

To talk to a local adviser about applying for Environmental Stewardship call our central number 0300 060 0011.

For more information about Environmental Stewardship, follow the link from Natural England’s web page.

We offer free one to one farm visits from an adviser and a range of farm events to explain the scheme, to book contact 0300 060 1695 or visit our website.

Natural England also maintains a register of agents working on Environmental Stewardship which you can view online.

North East.Durham and the former countyof Cleveland, Northumberland,Tyne and Wear.

Natural EnglandISS North East, PO Box 578Newcastle upon TyneNE15 8WW

Tel: 0300 060 0011 Fax: 0300 060 [email protected]

North West.Cheshire, Cumbria, Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside.

Natural EnglandISS North West PO Box 380Crewe CW1 6YH


South East.Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Greater London, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex.

Natural EnglandISS South East, PO Box 2423Reading RG1 6WY


South West.Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucester-shire, Isles of Scilly, Somerset and the former county of Avon, Wiltshire.

Natural EnglandISS South West, PO Box 277Bristol BS10 6WW





www.naturalengland.org.uk/es

www.naturalengland.org.uk/farmevents

http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/ourwork/farming/funding/es/agents/register.aspx





Yorkshire and the Humber.East Riding of Yorkshire, North Lincolnshire, North Yorkshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire.

Natural EnglandISS Yorkshire & HumbersidePO Box 213Leeds LS16 5WN


West Midlands.Herefordshire, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire.

Natural EnglandISS West Midlands, PO Box 530Worcester WR5 2WZ


Our offices are open from 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday, excluding bank holidays. Our advisers will be able to assist you and answer your questions.

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www.naturalengland.org.uk/es.

Applying online?

contact the ELS Online team on: 0300 060 3934 orto register your interest in the ELS online service, e-mail:[email protected] for further info visit our website.

Useful links.

■ Entry Level Stewardship handbook (NE226)

■ Organic Entry Level Stewardship handbook (NE228)

■ Higher Level Environmental Stewardship handbook (NE227)

■ Environmental Stewardship latest news and information

Feedback.

Good or bad, we value your feedback so please let us know what you think about the service we provide, email us at: [email protected]






http://naturalengland.etraderstores.com/NaturalEnglandShop/NE226



http://www.naturalengland.org.uk/es


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Front cover: Dentdale © Natural England / Robert Goodison

Back cover: © Natural England / Nick Turner

We are here to secure a healthy natural environment for people to enjoy, where wildlife is protected and England's traditional landscapes are safeguarded for future generations.

© Natural England 2011

Catalogue Code: NE290

www.naturalengland.org.uk

look after your land with Environmental Stewardship February 2011

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