Farmers in England will be paid to create wildlife habitats, restore waterways and protect threatened species as part of a “radical” shake-up of land ownership practices, it was announced this week.
On Thursday, the UK government revealed plans for two nature recovery schemes. The first, the Local Nature Recovery initiative, will pay farmers for “locally targeted actions which make space for nature”. The scheme is set to launch nationally in 2024 and aims to reverse the fortunes of some of England’s most threatened species.
The Landscape Recovery project, meanwhile, will support more radical changes to the landscape, including the creation of nature reserves, woodlands and wetlands.
The government wants an area roughly the size of Lancashire to be covered by the schemes by 2042. Environmental groups cautiously welcomed the plan, but called for greater detail and swifter action.
“How these schemes will work in practice is still a cause for concern for both us and farmers,” said Beccy Speight, chief executive of the RSPB.
Image: Niklas Weiss
