Farmers can now apply for funding to support projects that will restore nature and improve water quality as the first round of the Landscape Recovery scheme opens today.
The round is open to any individuals or groups who want to deliver large scale environmental projects, between 500 to 5,000 hectares.
Projects could have a focus on recovering and restoring England’s threatened native species, which will be administered by Natural England.
They could also focus on restoring England’s streams and rivers, by improving water quality, biodiversity and adapting to climate change. These will be administered by the Environment Agency.
Applications for the scheme's first round of funding are open from Tuesday (1 February), with a closing date set for 24 May 2022.
The application process will be competitive, Defra says, with the department assessing applications against selection criteria focused on the projects’ potential impact, feasibility and costs.
Up to 15 projects will be taken forward within the total project development budget available of £7.5 million.
Defra says it will confirm the chosen round one pilot projects in the summer.
Environment Secretary George Eustice said: “While the types of projects we envisage won’t be right for every farm business or farm holding, they will be right for some.
"This scheme will support a choice that some landowners may want to take, and put in place the right incentives to allow them to do so.”
The Landscape Recovery scheme is one of three post-Brexit environmental land management schemes (ELMS).
The reforms are the biggest changes to farming and land management in 50 years with more than 3,000 farmers already testing the new schemes.
