Farmers will feature prominently in the new Government’s big push to restore nature and improve environmental standards, with ministers outlining plans to expand support for landscape-scale projects across England.
A revised environmental roadmap published today (1 December) sets out measures aimed at cleaning rivers, reducing pollution and improving biodiversity.
As part of the plan, £500m will be allocated to future rounds of landscape restoration schemes to support long-term projects involving farmers and landowners.
Initial rounds include river restoration, wetland creation and peatland improvement across farm clusters, with most projects involving groups of neighboring farms working together across the catchment.
The government says the funding will help with large-scale habitat restoration, flood management functions and water quality improvements.
Landscape restoration agreements last for decades and require long-term commitment to new habitats and land management practices.
Officials say the plan could open up new sources of income for participants and allow food production to continue on much of the land involved.
Most projects are expected to sustain agricultural activities alongside environmental enablement through land use changes, primarily focused on low-grade land.
Farmers’ organizations have previously warned that high-grade land must continue to be protected to protect food production.
Industry bodies such as the NFU and CLA are also calling for clearer guidance on how landscape restoration, Sustainable Farming Incentives (SFI) and Countryside Stewardship can work together on mixed and tenant farms.
DEFR chief Emma Reynolds said Britain’s landscapes were “treasures that we must protect for generations to come”, adding that she wanted to “reverse the decline of nature” and drive improvements in air and water quality.
The plan includes tackling chemicals forever through a dedicated PFAS strategy, setting new interim targets to reduce harmful air pollutants such as PM2.5, and introducing stronger penalties for waste crime, backed by digital waste tracking.
Further measures will invest in peatland restoration, afforestation and methane reduction projects in agriculture. Ministers will also improve access to nature, including upgrading Forestry England facilities.
For the first time, a detailed implementation plan setting out how environmental targets will be achieved and how progress will be measured will be published.
The Landscape Restoration Program runs alongside the Sustainable Agriculture Incentive and Countryside Stewardship Scheme, with over half of England’s farmland currently registered under one of these schemes.
