Countryside Stewardship 2017 update

Almost £20 million will soon be made available for agri-environment agreements to help farmers and land managers protect wildlife, create new habitats and reduce flood risk.

Farming Minister, George Eustice, has confirmed details of Countryside Stewardship elements opening shortly, which includes woodland creation and woodland planning grants, and a new flood action facilitation fund to help land owners create natural flood management solutions.

Around £17 million will be made available for the Woodland Creation Grant and the Woodland Planning Grant, which will be used to expand and manage woodland – working towards the shared government and sector ambition to achieve 12% woodland cover in England by 2060.

The fund opens on 3rd January and Woodland Creation applications are available for download. Woodland Planning application forms should be available shortly.

In addition, up to £720,000 will be made available to encourage groups of farmers, foresters and other land managers to develop natural flood management projects on their land.

The new funding will help groups of farmers and other land managers in areas hit by last winter’s flooding to work together to reduce flood risk and apply for funding to plant trees, create water meadows and restore rivers to their natural meanders.