CS agreements provide financial incentives for farmers, foresters and land managers to maintain and improve the environment through:
- Conserving and restoring wildlife habitats
- Offering farmers incentives for flood risk management
- Offering funds for woodland creation and management
- Preserving historical features and incentivising education access
- Keeping the character of the countryside.
8 grants are available, some all year round, and some within specific time windows. The main grants are Capital Grants, Higher-Tier Grants and Mid-Tier and Wildlife Offers.
Agreements are managed by the RPA. You can watch a video about how to submit a Countryside Stewardship revenue claim via the Rural Payments portal here:
Countryside Stewardship – Grants and Notes
| Purpose | Countryside Stewardship (CS) provides financial incentives for farmers, foresters and land managers to look after and improve the environment |
| Criteria | – England wide – You must be registered with the Rural Payments service. Follow the guidance on how to register and check your details – Applicants must ensure their digital maps on the Rural Payments Service are all up-to-date and any changes have been made using the RLE1 form – You must agree to a site visit to assess how the environmental aims are met under the options in your agreement |
| CS Grants | Capital Grants – 3-year agreements offering capital items to achieve specific environmental benefits – Permitted on land which is in a Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) standards agreement – Applications open all year round – There are 259 GRANTS AVAILABLE for capital items and agreement options. To see them all, click here – How to Apply: Capital Grants (SFI pilot) 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Higher Tier – For multi-year management options and capital items for the most environmentally important sites, including commons and woodlands – Applications must be made during the specified window – For more information: Higher Tier grants 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Mid Tier and Wildlife Offers – To protect and enhance the natural environment through multi-year management grants and capital grants to improve diversity of wildlife, water and air quality, and natural flood management – Applications must be made during the specified window – For more information: Mid Tier grants and Wildlife Offers 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Protection and Infrastructure Grants – For capital items that support improving the management of woodland and to help manage the impact of beaver behaviours – Applications open all year round – How to Apply: Protection and Infrastructure grants 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Woodland Management Plan (WMP) Grants – A capital grant for a one-off payment to create a 10-year woodland management plan – Applications open all year round – How to Apply: Woodland Management Plan grants 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Woodland Tree Health (WTH) Grants – Helps to restock or improve woodland after tree health problems – Applications open all year round – How to Apply: Woodland Tree Health grants 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Implementation Plan (PA1) and Feasibility Study (PA2) Grants – Provide funding for more complex agreements and projects – Applications open all year round – How to Apply: Capital grant application form: implementation plan (PA1) and feasibility study (PA2) – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) Facilitation Fund – Supports individuals who act as facilitators to bring together groups of farmers, foresters and other land managers to improve environmental outcomes in their local area – Application must be made during the specified window – For more information: Facilitation Fund 2023: Countryside Stewardship – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) |
| Notable Information | – CS payment rates have changed, resulting in an average increase of 10% for CS revenue payments and a 48% average payment increase to CS capital items – More support will soon be available for collaborative delivery, which will be called ‘CS Plus’ – There is no longer a limit on either the maximum amount for a Capital Grant application or the amount you can apply for in each of the four groups: boundaries, trees and orchards, water quality, air quality and natural flood management |