8. Area of land under agri-environment scheme management

Summary

• Agri-environment schemes require farmers to implement environmentally-beneficial management and demonstrate good environmental practice on their farm.
• The higher level or targeted schemes promote environmental management aimed to: conserve wildlife; maintain and enhance landscape quality and character; protect the historic environment and natural resources, and to promote public access and the understanding of the countryside.
• The entry level schemes aim to encourage large numbers of farmers, across all farmland, to implement simple and effective environmental management on their farms that goes beyond the Single Payment Scheme requirements to maintain land in good agricultural and environmental condition.
• In 2008 the total area of land in higher level or targeted agri-environment agreements in the UK was 3.1 million hectares, equivalent to 18 per cent of UK agricultural land. There were 5.3 million hectares in entry level schemes in England and Wales.
• In England, 13 per cent of agricultural land is managed under a higher level or targeted schemes; 27 per cent in Wales; 19 per cent in Scotland and 43 per cent in Northern Ireland. 
• In England 54 per cent of agricultural land is managed under an entry level agreement and 20 per cent in Wales.  These are whole farm schemes, the England area includes land in Organic Entry Level Stewardship.
• The majority of land on higher level schemes are also in entry level schemes, therefore the areas cannot be summed.

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Indicator assessment

There are two main types of agri-environment scheme in the UK: Entry-level type, whole farm schemes that have a simple set of prescriptions providing basic environmental protection and enhancement; and 'higher-level' or targeted schemes that protect or restore land of high environmental value. The former are generally selected at the whole farm scale and it is the whole farm area that contributes to the indicator for entry-level type schemes. The latter are targeted to parts of the farm or land-holding that are of high environmental value or potential.  It is possible for land to be in both an entry-level type and a higher-level scheme.

The measure for the higher-level or targeted schemes rose steadily from 1992 to 2005. During this period some of the original schemes (such as Countryside Stewardship in England) closed to new applicants. The area within these schemes fell between 2006 and 2008 as loses from the original schemes outstripped gains from the new ones (although clearly the uptake of entry-level schemes did exceed the losses). The total in 2008 of 3.1 million hectares is nonetheless considerably higher than the extent of 2.1 million hectares in 2000. The higher level scheme measure is therefore assessed as increasing since 1992 and between 2000 and 2008.

Entry-level schemes were introduced as pilots in England in 2003 and then rolled out in 2005. A similar entry-type scheme, Tir Cynnal, was introduced in Wales in 2005. The area in these schemes has risen rapidly to 5.4 million hectares in 2008. The entry level scheme measure is therefore assessed as increasing between 2000 and 2008.

Description of trends

Since the mid-1990s there has been a steady increase in UK land under agri-environment scheme management.  In 1992 in the UK, there was 0.3 million hectares of land in higher level agreements, by 2008 this had risen to 3.1 million hectares.  Entry level schemes were introduced as a pilot in England in 2003, with 0.3 million hectares under agreement;  similar entry-type schemes were also introduced in Wales in 2005 and by 2008 there were 5.4 million hectares under whole farm agreements in England and Wales.

Relevance

Since 1987 a number of voluntary agri-environment schemes have been introduced that provide payments to farmers to protect and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and historic features and to promote public access.

Background

The United Kingdom was one of the first countries in the EU to introduce agri-environment schemes: Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) in the UK, Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) in England; Tir Cymen (becoming Tir Gofal) in Wales; Countryside Premium Scheme in Scotland (CPS) becoming the Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) in 2001; and the Countryside Management Scheme in Northern Ireland.

In England, Environmental Stewardship (ES) has been developed to replace the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes (ESAs). There is both an Entry Level (ELS) and a Higher Level (HLS) element to ES. ELS is a voluntary and non-competitive scheme which aims for a high level of uptake across the Country. ELS requires simple and effective environmental management, designed to address environmental issues across the wider countryside such as diffuse pollution, loss of biodiversity and deterioration of landscape character. These schemes are designed to cover the majority of farmland. HLS has an increased focus on environmental outcomes, particularly for Priority Habitats (see indicator 4). These Higher Level Schemes target environmental management to conserve wildlife, maintain and enhance landscape quality and character, promote public access and understanding of the countryside, and protect the historic environment and natural resources.

In Wales, the Welsh Assembly Government introduced an entry-level agri-environment scheme known as Tir Cynnal in 2005. Tir Cynnal supplements Tir Gofal, a higher level agri-environment scheme which has been available throughout Wales since April 1999. Tir Gofal aims to encourage agricultural practices which will protect and enhance the landscapes of Wales, their cultural features and associated wildlife, and replaced the previous Environmentally Sensitive Area and Tir Cymen schemes.

The Rural Stewardship Scheme (RSS) is currently the main agri-environment scheme in Scotland and is designed to encourage farmers, crofters and common grazing committees to adopt environmentally friendly practices and to maintain and enhance particular habitats and landscape features. RSS replaced the Countryside Premium and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes, and is open to all agricultural holdings in Scotland. Under the scheme, farmers choose from a menu of options to put together a package which will work for their farm. The Scottish Government have introduced a new scheme, Land Managers Options (previously Land Management Contracts). These provide contracts between farmers or crofters and the government, and will contain measures designed to deliver environmental, social and economic benefits from farming and crofting.

In Northern Ireland, the Countryside Management and Environmentally Sensitive Areas Schemes are now closed to new applicants. There are two schemes open to new applicants: the Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) and the Organic Farming Scheme.

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