Countryside Stewardship

Countryside Stewardship provides financial incentives for farmers and land managers to look after and enhance the environment by:

• Increasing biodiversity
• Improving habitat
• Expanding woodland area
• Improving water quality
• Improving air quality
• Improving natural flood management

Defra originally planned to introduce a Local Nature Recovery scheme with ambitious outcomes related to net zero and biodiversity. Local nature recovery will now become part of the enhanced Countryside Stewardship scheme instead. More information on this will be released later in 2023.

It is possible to apply for Countryside Stewardship grants if you are taking part in other Environmental Land Management schemes, as long as the land is not being used in multiple schemes. Applications for the Countryside Stewardship capital grants 2023 are open now, and you can apply at any time of the year.

We will provide more information and analysis on the scheme as it develops.

For more details and how to apply, visit: Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage