A fourth national round of the popular Countryside
Stewardship Facilitation Fund is today (5 August) opening
for applications.
Groups of farmers and landowners will be able to bid for a
share of the £2.5 million fund until 4 October. It is
expected to support approximately 40 new facilitation
groups to deliver large-scale environment improvement in
their area over the next three years.
Improvements could include natural flood prevention,
enhancing wildlife habitats or planting more trees.
To apply, groups must submit plans showing how they will
work together and share knowledge to protect and enhance
their local environment, in line with their local
Countryside Stewardship priorities.
Successful facilitation groups will also offer invaluable
training, support and advice to potential Countryside
Stewardship applicants for agreements starting in 2021.
One example of a group already benefiting from this scheme
is the Wyre Forest Facilitation Fund, which joined in 2015.
Since then the group has grown to include 70 farms spanning
5,138 hectares. Over the past year, the group has delivered
18 training events focusing on upskilling other farmers on
woodland restoration and creation, hedgerow and tree
planting and natural flood management.
Farming Minister said:
We know that more can be achieved by trying to coordinate
a landscape scale approach to creating habitats and
supporting wildlife.
This fund helps support local clusters of farmers to come
together to promote similar interventions and options so
that the management on each farm helps to complement a
wider effort and we can achieve critical mass as we
strive to support wildlife in our countryside.
RPA Chief Executive Paul Caldwell said:
Today’s announcement means that more farmers will have
the opportunity to benefit from this funding and deliver
long-term improvements for the environment, working with
other local farmers.
With this funding, facilitators will be able to amplify
the benefits brought by the Countryside Stewardship
schemes, as well as reaping the rewards for farmers, land
managers and our rural communities.
Through three national rounds and one flood-focused round,
we have committed £7.8 million of funding to 98
facilitation groups established since 2015 across England.
The groups have supported and endorsed 1,200 new
Countryside Stewardship agreements, coordinating action to
make positive environmental impact in their local areas.
See the main
Facilitation Fund page for more information and
how to apply.
