Farm Environment Plans are the first stage in an application for Higher Level Stewardship (HLS), which is aimed at farms where there is existing wildlife interest or where there is a commitment to management for the benefit of wildlife. With over 22,000 agreements established, and payments totalling more than £40 million made since the scheme began, the benefits of HLS for both farming and the environment are potentially huge.



The Farm Environment Plan (FEP) is a complete record of the ‘features’ present on a farm. Features can be anything from hedgerows to historic water meadows; all are recorded in the FEP and shown on an easy-to-interpret map. The FEP is not a management plan; it simply appraises the presence and condition of features on the farm, and identifies the appropriate management options from those available in HLS.



The most popular HLS management options to date have been 6 m buffer strips on arable land and maintenance of species-rich grassland, receiving payments of £400 and £200 per hectare respectively under Higher Level Stewardship (HLS). A comprehensive FEP will provide a detailed assessment of the historical, landscape and conservation value of the land. It will highlight environmental features and identify areas at risk from soil erosion. The funding received from HLS will help to deliver real benefits to farmers and the environment.





A FEP needs to be completed to a high standard, requiring experience in a range of disciplines such as biological recording and assessment of the historic landscape. Only a FEP that meets these standards will help to achieve the points target necessary to receive competitively allocated funding from HLS. The criteria required for entry into HLS are becoming increasingly demanding as the scheme gets underway, making a good quality FEP even more important. There are four deadlines a year for submission of HLS applications, so it is important to contact us as soon as possible to take advantage of the next available agreement start date.