Defra have announced the projects that will receive funding from the Landscape Recovery Scheme. The initiative is being hailed by land managers and conservationists as the most “exciting and important” step in a generation to restore lost biodiversity.

Projects include recreating water meadows in the Cotswolds, reviving eel-rich waterways in the Severn Valley, and restoring Enfield Chase on the edge of London.

Hundreds of farmers and landowners will be supported to delivery projects that restore nature, reduce flood risks and boost biodiversity, as Environment Secretary George Eustice announces the successful bids for the Landscape Recovery scheme.

In February, farmers and land managers were invited to apply for funding, and following a competitive application process, Environment Secretary George Eustice today (Friday 2 September) confirmed the 22 selected projects.

Collectively, the successful projects aim to restore nearly 700km of rivers and protect and enhance 263 species such as water vole, otter, pine marten, lapwing, great crested newt, European eel and marsh fritillary.

Environment Secretary George Eustice said:

“There has been significant interest from farmers and land owners in coming together on landscape scale projects to manage environmental assets on their land.  Today we are confirming that we will support 22 collaborative projects in the first phase of the Landscape Recovery Fund.  The opening of this fund complements the significant work already underway through Countryside Stewardship and the Sustainable Farming Incentive to support regenerative agriculture and promote soil health and financial resilience for farms.”

The Landscape Recovery scheme is one of three new environmental land management schemes introduced by the Government, including the Sustainable Farming Incentive, which supports action at farm level to make agriculture more sustainable, and Local Nature Recovery, which will support action at local level to make space for nature alongside food production.

Each of the 22 projects covers an area of between 500 and 5,000 hectares. The majority involve groups of land managers and farmers, including tenants, working together to deliver a range of environmental benefits across farmed and rural landscapes.

Successful projects will now be awarded a share of around £12 million in development grants to help them finalise their delivery plans. Defra aims to support them to complete their development phase as soon as possible and start implementation on the ground.

The news was covered in the Guardian and can be read here.  For further information and the Defra press release see here.

Landscape Recovery projects:

Adapting the Levels

Adur River Restoration project

Boothby Wildland project

Breckland Farmers Wildlife Network project

Darent Valley

East Dartmoor

Eelscapes: restoring the Severn Vale’s wetland mosaics

Greater Frampton Vision

Holnicote River Corridors

Killerton Three Rivers Landscape Recovery project

Lake District Eastern Fells

Leven Carrs wetland project

North East Cotswolds Farmer Cluster project

North Norfolk: Wilder, Wetter, Better for Nature

The Axe Landscape Partnership

The Enfield Chase Restoration project

The South Pennines Park – Nature’s Holme Landscape Recovery

The Three Dales project

Upper Duddon Landscape Recovery

WaLOR (Waveney and Little Ouse Headwaters) project

Wareham Arc