Record numbers of HLS agreements to start in 2011/12
More farmers will start Higher Level Stewardship agreements in 2011/12 than ever before, according to new figures from Natural England.
An estimated 2,400 HLS applications, worth up to £40m, are expected to go live in the next financial year – around 700 more than the previous high point of 2009/10.
Caroline Spelman, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, said: "It’s hugely encouraging to see more and more farmers getting involved with these rewarding schemes, adopting ambitious and sustainable measures which do so much to boost wildlife and protect our natural heritage and landscape.
"I’ve confirmed that total spending on HLS will increase by at least 80 per cent over the next three years, and we’re working to make schemes more effective and better targeted so that farmers can continue to deliver the greatest possible benefits for biodiversity and the natural environment."
The increased number of HLS agreements for 2011/12 reflects the Environment Secretary’s ambitions to protect spending on HLS and ensure that the scheme delivers the greatest possible rewards for wildlife and the natural environment. This is being achieved by focusing HLS agreements on key conservation options, while spending less on individual farm building renovations, in order to bring the benefits of the scheme to as many farmers as possible. Spending on educational access is now being focused on visits by schoolchildren and vulnerable groups, following an announcement last week by Defra.
Natural England has a targeted, proactive approach to generating HLS applications. This involves identifying priority locations where certain options, often implemented across a number of holdings, are likely to have the greatest conservation impact. Farmers and land managers in these priority locations are then approached by Natural England advisers who will work with them to produce HLS applications.
This approach allows Natural England to focus new HLS agreements on the areas where they will achieve the best results, in line with the Government’s desire to get the most out of public spending on the farm environment. Anybody interested in applying for HLS should contact their local Natural England office to determine whether their land lies within a priority location and might be suitable for an agreement.
Those applicants who are unable to join HLS in the near future could still benefit from green farming payments by joining ELS or Uplands ELS.
Jim Smyllie, Natural England’s Executive Director, said: "We have seen exceptional demand for HLS agreements, with far more applications than it is possible to fund. We’re working to turn as many applications as possible into agreements, which is reflected in the record number we expect to go live in 2011/12. Our targeted approach to applications means that only farmers and land managers in priority locations are being asked to apply for HLS.
"As HLS is a competitive scheme, it’s inevitable that some applications will be unsuccessful – I would urge those applicants unable to join HLS at this time to consider whether they could benefit from other stewardship schemes such as ELS or Uplands ELS."
