Farming in Protected Landscapes – North Pennines AONB
The kinds of projects the programme might support include:
• Promoting connectivity between habitats
• Creating scrapes, ponds or other wetland to support a variety of wildlife
• Grassland restoration
• Re-wilding an area of land and/or promoting natural processes
• Gathering data and evidence to help inform conservation and farming practice
• Providing new or easier access opportunities, links to the Public Rights of Way Network or interpretation of farming and of the natural and historic features
• Working with new audiences to enable them to experience the North Pennines
• Parking improvements at a key site to provide safe access to popular walking routes and reduce congestion for visitors and for local residents
• Restoring drystone walls or hedges
• Conserving historic features on a farm, such as lime kilns or lead mining heritage
• Action to reduce carbon emissions, or the use of plastics, on a farm
• Planning for nature conservation or energy efficiency, including in farm clusters
Payment Rates:
If an applicant will not generate 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.
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).
If you require any further in formation please do not hesitate to contact Alan Falshaw, Farm Business Consultant on 07425 186127.
