Natural stewards of 70pc of country’s farmland

Defra’s Environmental Stewardship scheme is managed by Natural England and supports land management work that conserves wildlife and natural resources and improves public access.

Natural England’s locally-based advisers work with around 60,000 customers (including farmers, conservation organisations, smallholders and commons associations) and over £400m is invested through Environmental Stewardship into the environmental management of England’s farmland each year.

Welcoming the news, Poul Christensen, chair of Natural England, said: “The fact that well over two thirds of England’s farmland is now being managed with the support of Environmental Stewardship is clear evidence of the commitment that land managers are making to help look after our countryside and wildlife.

“The farming sector along with the conservation and industry groups in the Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) partnership have played an important part in helping land managers to reach such a significant target and we can be justifiably proud of this achievement.”

Jim Egan, of the Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust, who chairs the CFE’s Delivery and Communications Group, said: “The vast majority of farmers and land managers view support for the natural environment as part and parcel of running productive farm businesses and the news over 70 per cent of England’s farmland is now covered by an agri-environment agreement is a very positive result.”