£2.5 Million Available in New Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund Round

The UK government has officially launched the eighth round of applications for the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund as of 23 October 2023.

With a total budget of £2.5 million, this fund promotes cooperative efforts among farmers, foresters, and land managers to enhance local environmental initiatives, including the protection of meadows, woodlands, and the restoration of wildflower and grassland areas.

Farmers’ groups and landowners can now apply for funding to spearhead projects that align with their regional environmental needs. Each group is eligible to request up to £50,000, and the fund is set to be available over the next three years, allowing for adaptability and maximizing the ecological benefits tailored to local characteristics.

Since its initiation in 2015, this fund has facilitated collaboration among approximately 6,000 farmers and land managers, forming 224 groups nationwide, who collectively work to enhance nature restoration in their communities.

This initiative is a critical component of the broader Countryside Stewardship scheme aimed at safeguarding and improving the natural environment. It focuses on increasing biodiversity, enhancing water and air quality, expanding woodland areas, and fostering improved natural flood management practices.

Both newly formed and existing groups are invited to submit their proposals via an online application process available on the gov.uk website. The application window is open for 12 weeks, concluding on 15 January 2024.

Farming Minister Mark Spencer remarked:

Farmers play a crucial role in feeding the nation while achieving outstanding environmental results, and we will continue to support them through our environmental land management schemes.

Collaborative efforts yield greater environmental outcomes than actions taken in isolation. Therefore, I am thrilled to announce an additional £2.5 million through our much-admired Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund, fostering teamwork among farmers and landowners to safeguard vital ecosystems, from meadows to woodlands.

Previous successful projects include the South Pennine Facilitation Fund, the River Ribble Group, the 1066 Farmers Group, and the Herefordshire Meadows Group.

The 1066 Farmers group, situated in key areas such as the South Downs National Park and High Weald AONB, has utilized funding to unite numerous farmers and land managers. Their efforts have improved sustainability across 36,000 hectares of farmland through practices such as wildflower enhancement, grazing improvements, and farmland bird identification training, while also helping participants protect and grow their income and assets.

Meanwhile, the Herefordshire Meadows Group has restored 237 hectares of flower-rich grassland by promoting sustainable land management practices. The initiative has evolved into a long-term organization with 62 members and over 500 grassland managers, building a network of local professionals skilled in plant identification and grassland management.

Herefordshire Meadows Coordinator and Meadows Adviser Caroline Hanks stated:

Thanks to the support from the CSFF, we have successfully restored over 1,200 hectares of flower-rich grassland in Herefordshire, with an additional 237 hectares achieved by our now Charitable Incorporated Organisation, which is geared towards sustainability.

This progress has been driven by collaboration, enabling our members to operate resilient farm businesses supported by healthier soils, thereby providing significant ecological benefits.

The Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund is financed by Defra and managed by the Rural Payments Agency (RPA), while Natural England provides technical guidance and evaluation support.

Natural England Chief Executive Marian Spain noted:

The Countryside Stewardship scheme, along with the farmers and land managers who engage with it, is essential for nature restoration and climate resilience. By fostering partnerships among groups of land managers dedicated to effective environmental stewardship, the Facilitation Fund bolsters collaborative efforts and supports long-term on-the-ground results.

Natural England is eager to assist additional groups of farmers in creating, restoring, and nurturing networks of wildlife-rich habitats that enhance biodiversity, ensure clean water and air, and support sustainable agricultural practices.

Rural Payments Agency Chief Executive Paul Caldwell remarked:

This latest funding opportunity reiterates our commitment to ensuring both new and existing groups benefit from government support for long-term local environmental enhancements.

By collaborating and sharing their expertise, farmers can amplify the benefits already offered by the Countryside Stewardship schemes, driving meaningful large-scale environmental transformations.

As part of the government’s commitment to environmental land management schemes, the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund aims to improve food production while safeguarding the environment. Over the past three years, there has been a 94% increase in Countryside Stewardship agreements, supporting more than 6,500 applications in the most recent Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier round.

This announcement also follows last week’s update, which indicates that farmers participating in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) program have begun to receive their initial payments to enhance cash flow and ensure the program supports farm operations effectively.