Agricultural businesses, landowners and charities invited to apply for funding under first round of Landscape Recovery scheme

Farmers, landowners, and agricultural businesses have been invited to apply for grant funding to restore nature, reduce flood risks, and boost biodiversity.

The Landscape Recovery scheme will pay landowners who want to take a “large-scale and long-term” approach to producing environmental and climate outcomes.

The first round of the fund – which forms part of the Government’s future farming policy – opened this week. It replaces part of the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy with a system that works in the “best interests” of British farmers.

The cash can be used to accelerate the “radical and ambitious” transformation of land, such as establishing new nature reserves, restoring floodplains, or creating woodlands and wetlands.

The first round is open to landowners, or a group of landowners, who can deliver large-scale projects – defined as 500 to 5,000 hectares in size.

Up to 15 projects will be selected with a total project development budget of £7.5 million.

The Landscape Recovery scheme is one of three environmental land management schemes designed to support British agriculture.

Commenting on the scheme, Environment Secretary, George Eustice, said: “The focus of our Landscape Recovery scheme will be to restore threatened species and priority habitats – helping to protect our natural environment for generations to come and boost biodiversity.

“While the types of projects we envisage won’t be right for every farm business or farm holding, they will be right for some which is why this scheme will support a choice that some landowners may want to take, and put in place the right incentives to allow them to do so.”

The application window is open from 01 February to 24 May 2022. Learn more here.

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