Farming in Protected Landscapes in the Blackdown Hills National Landscape.

Farming in Protected Landscapes is a Defra grant programme, which runs from July 2021 to March 2025.

Protected Landscapes – 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.

Through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme, farmers and land managers can be supported to carry out projects that support nature recovery, mitigate the impacts of climate change, provide opportunities for people to discover, enjoy and understand the landscape and cultural heritage, or support nature-friendly, sustainable farm businesses. This is a programme of funding for one-off projects covering these areas of work, not an agri-environment scheme.

The programme is part of Defra’s Agricultural Transition Plan. It has been developed by Defra with the support of a group of National Landscapes and National Park staff from across the country.

A booklet has been published to celebrate the 1st year of the Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme, outlining how the programme has supported nature recovery, climate change mitigation and access projects in National Landscapes and National Parks throughout the UK.  Please click here to access the booklet.

In the Blackdown Hills National Landscape, we have already awarded funding to 57 projects totalling £343k up to March 2023. From April 2023 to March 2024 £315k is available to fund projects. The project budget from April 2024 to March 2025 will be £407,305.

Project summaries and case studies

These projects were funded through the Blackdown Hills Farming in Protected Landscapes programme:

Download a summary of year 1 projects [docx]

Goren Farm year 1 case study [docx]

Download a summary of year 2 projects [docx]

Lower Shelvin Farm year 2 case study [docx]

Otterhead Lakes year 2 case study [docx]

Who can apply?

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.

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 Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. You can apply as a landowner with sole rights, or as a group of commoners acting together.

Farming in Protected Landscapes supports activity on any land within the Blackdown Hills National Landscape. It can also support activity on other land where projects can demonstrate benefit to the Blackdown Hills, or Blackdown Hills NL’s objectives or partnership initiatives. Most of the funding will probably be provided to projects within the National Landscape boundary.

You can see the boundary by visiting the Magic Map website. Click on ‘designations’, ‘land-based designations’ and then [‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty England’ (remove the ticks for all the other options) .

Blackdown Hills AONB map

Payment rates

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), the Programme payment rate will be the same as the CS rate. If not, we will base Programme funding offers on the projected costs of an activity (with final payments made against evidenced costs).

Maintenance agreements

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.

The requirement to maintain natural, cultural and access activities (for example, management of grassland, restoration of a limekiln) delivered as part of programme will cease no later than 1 April 2024.

Blackdown Hills AONB heather

How to apply

Please read Defra’s guidance for applicants document for further details.

Before applying, we encourage you to complete this enquiry form. One of our farmer engagement officers will then get in touch to discuss your application. Ideally, they will visit your potential project location or meet you to discuss your ideas.

Applications for the third year of programme funding should be made between 1 April 2023 and 31 January 2024. Funding will be awarded to successful applicants throughout the application window, rather than after the window closes, so you should submit your application as soon as it is ready.

We will also consider applications for funding in year 4, especially if they aim to begin early in the financial year.

Multi-year awards are possible for longer projects. All projects must end by March 2025.

What Farming in Protected Landscapes will pay for

The Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme will pay for projects that, in the opinion of the Local Assessment Panel (see ‘Application assessment’ below) provide value for money and meet at least one of the outcomes listed below, under four themes.

Climate outcomes

  • More carbon is stored and/or sequestered
  • Flood risk is reduced
  • Farmers, land managers and the public better understand what different habitats and land uses can deliver for carbon storage and reduced carbon emissions
  • The landscape is more resilient to climate change

Nature outcomes

  • There is a greater area of wildlife-rich habitat
  • There is an increase in biodiversity
  • There is greater connectivity between habitats
  • Existing habitat is better managed for wildlife

People outcomes

  • There are more opportunities for people to explore, enjoy and understand the landscape
  • There are more opportunities for more diverse audiences to explore, enjoy and understand the landscape
  • There is greater public engagement in land management, such as through volunteering
  • Farmers and land managers feel increasingly comfortable with providing public goods

Place outcomes

  • The quality and character of the landscape is reinforced or enhanced
  • Historic structures and features are conserved, enhanced or interpreted more effectively
  • There is an increase in farm business resilience

A Nature Recovery Area Delivery Plan has been produced to help direct investments in nature recovery (and climate) restoration work, including through the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. Potential applicants can use the document to help shape their project, and as it forms a part of the Local Statement of Priorities it is a key consideration in the scoring of applications.

Your project must also help to deliver at least one of the objectives of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape Management Plan

For example, the programme might support:

  • Re-wiggling a straightened watercourse, for the biodiversity and natural flood management benefits this can bring
  • Replacing stiles with gates on public footpaths to promote easier access
  • Restoring habitats and promoting connectivity between them to allow species movement, for example restoring field boundaries
  • Creating and promoting a series of farm walks across a cluster of farms, providing new access opportunities, links to the rights of way network and interpretation of farming and of the natural and historic features on the land
  • Conserving historic features on a farm, such as lime kilns or mining heritage
  • A pop-up camping facility, alongside the provision of new walking trails and on site activities, including e.g. stargazing and dawn chorus walks
  • Whole farm planning for conservation, energy efficiency and economic resilience, including in farmer clusters.
Cattle drinking point made with stone
Longhorn cattle standing in front of a tree
Hazel dormouse perching on a twig amongst leaves

Application assessment

Applications for over £5,000 will be judged by a Local Assessment Panel. This kind of system has been used locally before for the Blackdown Hills National Landscape’s ‘Sustainable Development Fund’.

The local assessment panel is made up of eight to 12 people. It includes representatives from the farming and land management industry, representatives from Blackdown Hills National Landscape and Natural England, together with natural and historic heritage specialists.

The local assessment panel meets regularly throughout the year.

Applications for less than £5,000 will be decided upon by a senior member of the Blackdown Hills National Landscape team (who has no prior knowledge of the project).

More information

Field patterns, hedges and hedgerow trees at Dumpdon
Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme - Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

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