The Government has confirmed a second stage of funding for farmers and landowners to help 'protect and restore' the English countryside.

On Thursday (May 18) it pledged £15 million for a second stage of the Landscape Recovery Scheme.

Thérèse Coffey, Secretary of State for Food and Farming, said: "Landscape Recovery is one of our three Environmental Land Management schemes which provide the funding and support for farmers in England through the biggest change in a generation.

"The scheme is already supporting 22 inspiring landscape-scale projects across England with development funding and the second round will help more farmers and land managers take collective action through involvement in bespoke projects that will make a real difference in reaching net zero and supporting valuable habitats, while continuing to support sustainable food production."

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One of these projects lies on the Somerset and Dorset border. The River Axe Landscape Recovery project is bringing together 23 farmers, smallholders and landowners, including dairy, beef, sheep and arable farms, to restore a 23.6km stretch of the upper river.

The project will support regenerative farming and extensive grazing on the land neighbouring the river corridor to reduce diffuse pollution, phosphates and sediments entering the river, enabling cleaner water to flow.

This second round of the scheme will support up to 25 projects which will be administered by Natural England and the Environment Agency – the lead delivery partners for the scheme.

The projects will be selected based on their environmental and social impact, value for money and suitability for the scheme.

For the first time there is a food production criterion. The Government says that it 'will ensure that prospective projects take food production into consideration and mitigate any negative impacts on this where possible'.

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It will focus on projects of at least 500 hectares which could include landscape scale projects creating and enhancing woodland including temperate rainforest, peatland, nature reserves and protected sites such as ancient woodlands, wetlands and salt marshes.

Dr Tony Juniper, chair of Natural England, said: "Agriculture has a huge role to play in nature recovery, ensuring that a thriving natural world is at the heart of sustainable food production.

"Landscape Recovery encourages farmers and land managers to transform nature at a landscape scale and Natural England will use its advice and relationships to support them every step of the way."

Reacting to the announcement, Country Land and Business Association president Mark Tufnell said: “Land managers across the country are determined to play their part in fighting climate change and nature decline. 

"This funding will help to encourage the design and delivery of innovative new projects alongside sustainable food production – and we strongly encourage our members to engage with this key pillar of the Environmental Land Management schemes.”