FWAG South East Farm Advice
Agri-environment Schemes
FWAG South East have successfully completed hundreds of agri-environment schemes under all its guises. We can offer our support through all aspects of the application process and beyond:
- talk you through your options to decide on the best course of action
- fully prepare and submit applications
- liaise with Natural England to ensure your application meets all requirements
- assist with gathering evidence and record keeping throughout the life of the scheme
- produce any relevant management plans to support the scheme
- create bespoke maps of your farm and options to assist with the implementation of the scheme
- provide on-going advice during the life of the scheme
Environmental Land Managment Scheme (ELM)
The Environmental Land Management schemes commenced in 2024.
DEFRA introduced 3 new schemes within the ELMS package, they are:
- Sustainable Farming Incentive (currently paused for 2025)
- Local Nature Recovery
- Landscape Recovery
Sustainable Farming Incentive
The Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) rewards farmers for producing public goods on their land. It pays for actions that can have benefits anywhere in the country.
Who is eligible
To start with it will be open to all Basic Payment Scheme claimants, and later it will extend eligibility to include other farmers.
To get paid, you will have to meet standards or take actions on your farm to benefit the environment, climate or animal welfare.
You’ll still get Basic Payment Scheme funding, but they will reduce as part of the Agricultural Transition Plan.
You’ll get paid to carry out a set of actions to:
- reduce levels of sediment, nutrients and chemical pollution in water
- reduce flooding, erosion and run-off
- decrease greenhouse gas emissions
- improve carbon storage, water storage and biodiversity
How it works
SFI is a 3-year agreement and offers capital items and management options. These options are divided by standards and each standard has a set of actions to follow. At the end of the first and second year an upgrade can be made to the agreement, by adding more land or adding standards/ increasing levels.
There are currently standards for:
- Hedgerows
- Integrated pest management
- Nutrient Management
- Improved grassland soils
- Low input Grassland
- Arable and Horticultural Land
- Arable Soils
- Improved grassland land
As well as payments for:
- A Management plan
- An Annual health and welfare review
Application deadline: Currently Closed to New Applicants
Local Nature Recovery
Local Nature Recovery is a scheme that pays for locally-specific actions to benefit the environment and climate.
Who is eligible
A wide range of farmers and land managers
How it works
The scheme will pay for actions that support local nature recovery and deliver local environmental priorities. This will include:
- creating or managing and restoring natural habitats
- natural flood management
- rights of way navigation and recreation infrastructure
- education infrastructure, events and services
Dates
The scheme began piloting in 2022, and launched in 2024.
Landscape Recovery
Who is eligible
The scheme is for farmers and land managers in England.
How it works
The scheme supports landscape and ecosystem recovery through long-term projects, such as:
- restoring wilder landscapes in places where it’s appropriate
- large-scale woodland creation and restoration
- peatland and salt marsh restoration
Dates
The scheme began piloting around 10 projects in 2022, and launched in 2024.
Capital Grants
Application deadline: Open from January 2024
These standalone Capital Grants are 3-year agreements offering capital items to achieve specific environmental benefits within 4 groups:
1) Boundaries, Trees and Orchards
2) Improved Water Quality
3) Improved Air Quality
4) Improved Natural Flood Management
For all the information on what’s available please see the application guidance:
Woodland Support Grants
Application deadline: None
These grants can be applied for at any time after 3 January 2024.
Protection and Infrastructure grants: Protection and Infrastructure grants are for capital items that support improving the management of woodland and to help manage the impact of beaver behaviours.
Woodland Management Plan Grant: This is a one-off payment to create a UK Forestry Standard compliant ten year woodland managment plan. This payment is not competitive and calculated on a flat rate payment depending on area (ha). A Forestry Commission Woodland Officer will oversee the plan.
Woodland Tree Health: The grant is not competitive and covers two years. A woodland officer will assess the application to ensure the grant is appropriate and evidence of diseased trees will be required. If an application is submitted in autumn/winter it may not be processed until spring when the infection can be confirmed. There are two elements:
1) Health restoration – restocking woodland after felling due to a tree health issue
2) Health improvement – removal of diseased trees and infected rhododendron
FWAG South East LLP
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