Farming in Protected Landscapes

Protected Landscapes - our National Parks and National Landscapes - are special and unique places. They are living, working landscapes that also support a huge range of habitats and species, and they are enjoyed by millions of people every year. By supporting the farmers, land managers and people who live and work in these areas, we can help protect these exceptional places and support local communities.

Overview

Eligibility

What the Programme Will Pay For

Case Studies

Payment Rates

Maintenance Agreements

How to Apply

Application Assessment

Useful Links 

The Farming in Protected Landscapes programme is open to all farmers and land managers (including from the private, public and charity sector) in a National Park,  National Landscape or the Norfolk Broads – or where activity on the ground can bring benefit to one or more of those areas.

You must manage all the land included in the application, and have control of all the activities you’d like to undertake, or you must have written consent from all parties who have this management and control.

The programme can only support projects where the items or activity has not yet started or been purchased.

Other organisations and individuals can apply, as long as they do this in collaboration with a farmer or land manager, or in support of a farmer or group of farmers. 

Common land is eligible for support through the Programme. You can apply as a landowner with sole rights, or as a group of commoners acting together.

The programme supports activity on any land within the Forest of Bowland National Landscape.  It can also support activity on other land where projects can demonstrate benefit to the Forest of Bowland National Landscape's objectives or partnership initiatives. Most of the funding will probably be provided to projects within the Forest of Bowland National Landscape boundary.

You can see the boundary by visiting the MAGIC mapping website. Click on ‘designations’, ‘land-based designations’ and then ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty England.’ Or view the image at the bottom of the page.

If an applicant will not make a commercial gain through a project, they could receive up to 100% of the costs.

Where an applicant would benefit commercially from a project, they could receive between 40% and 80% of the costs through the Programme, depending on how much commercial benefit the project will give them.

The Programme will work alongside – not in competition with – Defra’s existing and new schemes, adding value where it is most needed. If a potential project can be rewarded through those schemes instead, you will be made aware of them.

If an activity is equivalent to one under Countryside Stewardship (CS) or Farming Investment Fund (FIF), the Programme payment will be the same as the CS or FIF rate. If not, quotations must be supplied for the items as an actual cost capitalised item. 

Capital infrastructure assets (including, but not limited to, fences, gates, building restoration), should be maintained for 5 years from the date of completion. 

Machinery assets (for example a brush harvester for grassland restoration) should be maintained for 5 years from the date of purchase. 

In the first instance please complete the online enquiry form via the link below, please note this must be completed by the farmer or land manager.  Once we receive your enquiry form details you will be sent an acknowledgement email from a member of the team. 

•  FILL OUT AN EXPRESSION OF INTEREST HERE

We are currently working on a 5-6 month waiting list for Expressions of Interest.

Applications must be developed with the National Landscape Farming in Protected Landscapes team before being submitted.

Funding is only eligible for work that has not commenced prior to a live agreement in place.

• View the Full Guidance for Applicants here.
• View the Applicant checklist here
• View a copy of the Application Form here (you must complete an enquiry form and be in communication with your assigned FiPL Officer before completing an application) 

Applications for £10,000 and over will be judged by the Local Assessment Panel.  

The Local Assessment Panel is made up of 8 to 12 people from 10 representative bodies including: Forest of Bowland National Landscape, Natural England, farmers and land managers, rural business sector as well as conservation organisations.

We expect that the panel will meet to make decisions every 6 to 8 weeks.

Applications for less than £10,000 will likely be decided upon by a senior member of the National Landscape team.

The FiPL team may send an application under £10,000 to be judged by the Local Assessment Panel.