Environmental Stewardship: A Case Study Petra Billings PhD MCIEEM Landscapes Project Officer

A special landscape: Rare example of a ‘forest’ High tranquillity levels Rural and undeveloped Internationally important for nature conservation Woodland and farmland BUT subjects to threats and demands The West Weald Landscape

Where is it?

A Living Landscape A visionary partnership project that promotes the integrated management of a viable and enhanced landscape in the West Weald for people and nature

Our Objectives Enhanced conservation of the core forest areas Wider landscape improvements through working with landowners and farmers Research and monitoring eg surveys of important wildlife species Enhanced public enjoyment of the landscape

The Landowners

Our Achievements: Landowner Work >260 visits 130 landowners 11,000 ha (46% of project area)

Environmental Stewardship in the West Weald 30 Environmental Stewardship Schemes 15 Higher Level Stewardship 15 Entry Level Stewardship

Has Environmental Stewardship had a positive impact? Would biodiversity have benefited to the same degree without it?

Yes – clear benefits ES significantly reduced the rate of decline for several species, including Yellowhammer, Linnet, Reed Bunting and Grey Partridge Types of management eg overwinter stubble and wild bird seed crops were mostly under (ELS) Hugh Clark

New proposed measures support farm profitability: - Good for farmers -What about conservation?? -Greening…. Hugh Clark

The New Scheme Direct payments The single farm payment will be replaced by a new direct payment made up of: a basic payment a payment for greening and a further payment for young farmers (<40) of an extra 25% each year for the first 5 years

Greening 30% of the direct payments to farmers will be linked to a new set of 3 greening requirements: –crop diversification (>10 ha) –maintenance of permanent grassland –the need to establish Ecological Focus Areas on 5% of arable land (>15 ha)

Rural Development Programme Smaller CAP budget but bigger share (12% moving to 15%) - £3.5 billion over 7 years Combines Environmental Stewardship and English Woodland Grant Schemes 3 areas of support – –Managing the environment (£3.1 billion) –Increasing farming and forestry productivity (£140m to support farming and forestry businesses) –Growing the rural economy (£177m through Local Enterprise Partnerships and LEADER Local Action Groups )

Managing the Environment - NELMS 3 elements to the scheme : –An ‘upper tier’ like HLS –A targeted “mid-tier” –Annual small-scale capital grants No entry-level strand A single national menu of options including woodland grant options More targeted with outcomes more clearly prioritised

What about the new scheme? BTO have concern that directing funds to biodiversity ‘hotspots’ could mean ‘low value’ farmland ignored and chances of recovery slim Hugh Clark

Implications of Reduced Funding? Less funding = less wildlife benefit? but Plus side - more targeted? Or just more difficult to access? Details yet to emerge ………….

The Future? … bigger, better, more joined up? Petra Billings Landscape Projects Officer, West Weald Landscape Project Tel: