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Countryside Stewardship Scheme

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About this service

What is the Countryside Stewardship Scheme?

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme is a grant scheme administered by the Rural Payments Agency on behalf of the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs, commonly known as DEFRA. 

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme provides Norfolk farmers and landowners with annual revenue payments as a financial reward for creating and managing farmland habitats that support conservation

Alongside the payments you will receive by maintaining and enhancing habitats, you get the gratification of knowing you are supporting vital farmland species on your land.

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Rewarding

With Countryside Stewardship, there are several ways to receive payments by taking appropriate measures, including…

Hedgerow management

Creating flower-rich grasslands

Winter cover crops

Producing winter bird food

Woodland Management

Organic conversion

Management of historic features

Introducing agroforestry

Heathland management

Flood mitigation measures

Wetland habitat management

Membership

Become a member!

There are two Countryside Stewardship Scheme options currently available, and these are Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier.

Mid Tier is more accessible, allowing all farmers and land managers to get involved.

The Higher Tier is designed for more complex or environmentally significant sites, coming with a wide range of available options and capital works, but this tier requires a more involved collaboration with governmental bodies.

For both tiers, there is a suite of Countryside Stewardship Capital grants available to support the management of habitats, e.g. sheep fencing grants.

For more information about how the Countryside Stewardship Scheme can help you, please enquire via our online form.

Interested?: get in touch!

Contact Us

Who do I need to speak to?

Nathan has been involved with Countryside Stewardship scheme for many years and understands the steps to take in achieving a successful application.

He will be able to help develop a scheme suitable for your farm business, using relevant management options for the habitats and features of the land. He will also enable negotiations with Natural England or Forestry Commission, to ensure sign off for the scheme is successful.

Testimonials

What people say about Norfolk FWAG

Roydon Hall Farms LtdMichael Rae
Marta of Norfolk FWAG successfully and efficiently acquired for Roydon Hall Farms Limited a forestry felling (thinning) license. This involved dealing with the complexities of the forestry commissions processes for about 10 Woodland blocks ranging in size from one hectare to 15 ha. This was achieved by Marta having a thorough knowledge of the processes involved in dealing with the forestry commission and an understanding of what we were trying to achieve.
J&C FarmsDavid Marsham
Norfolk FWAG have been extremely helpful in helping the West Norfolk Nature Network build its Landscape Recovery application. From assisting with LandApp mapping through to proof reading and provision of much needed capacity during the enrollment phase, the team have been great.
Mouche LtdKirsty Alston
I really could not have done this without the incredible knowledge and support and availability and willingness from FWAG’S Henry and Charlie. They were so helpful. The phone advice really was so appreciated to gain insight and help us move to the next stages. And we finally and proudly have a farm that is giving back to wildlife. I hope and endeavour to grow the possibilities for wildlife on our farm with the continued help and advice from FWAG. Thanks no end.
Pastures & Habitats LtdSimon Hashim
NFWAG have extensive knowledge on the management of wet grassland and grazing marshes. They gathered the information needed for the Higher Tier Scheme and put the application in. It was successful. They are fully up to date and aware of environmental regulations, prescriptions and opportunities

Case studies

What we've been up to

Peatland restoration, Chestnut Farm

Peatlands in the broads: Healthy peatlands are a haven for wildlife, they store carbon in their soils as well as cleaning and storing water in the landscape. The Broads contains a significant amount of England’s lowland peatlands, however approximately one quarter of them are drained for agriculture. When peat is

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View more Case Studies

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

How to apply for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme?

If you’re wondering how to apply for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, this is where our farming advisory service plays a significant role. The process of applying for this scheme is a sizeable commitment that may require multiple days to complete. This depends on the size of the land and the complexity of the Countryside Stewardship options selected.

A typical step-by-step process to Countryside Stewardship involves:

  • On-farm discussions with you and your team regarding CS and how best to proceed.
  • Surveys and mapping of your land to provide the most up-to-date information as part of your application.
  • You and your Norfolk FWAG adviser liaising with the other necessary parties, such as governmental bodies.
  • And finally, completing the online application.

Our expert advisers work closely with Norfolk farmers and landowners who are interested in building a Countryside Stewardship Scheme; members of Norfolk FWAG will be able to take advantage of our preferential rates when employing our services for multiple days at a time, which may be required.

Norfolk Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group will not only help by ensuring the management options selected are appropriate for the relevant species and habitats on your land, but also if these options are realistic for you to achieve. Through our understanding of the fine balance between food production and on-farm conservation – coupled with our rich years of experience with farm environmental schemes – we can provide you with the best service possible and a successful Countryside Stewardship application.

  • On-farm discussions with you and your team regarding CS and how best to proceed.
  • Surveys and mapping of your land to provide the most up-to-date information as part of your application.
  • You and your Norfolk FWAG adviser liaising with the other necessary parties, such as governmental bodies.
  • And finally, completing the online application.