Contacts and funding. Forestry Commission. Natural England. Defra RDPE South East

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1 Further help and advice may be available from a number of sources. This should be free in the first instance, but always check. There are grant schemes to support countryside management at local and national level. Funding availability varies, so contacts are a guide only. Natural England Conservation and enhancement of the natural environment; protection of special sites (SSSI, SPA, SAC, RAMSAR) Environmental Stewardship Schemes Publications and information iss.reading@naturalengland.org.uk Entry Level Stewardship is open to all farmers and landowners who are freeholders, tenants, or contractual licensees. There is a flat rate payment of 30 per hectare ( 60 if registered organic or in conversion) over the whole holding, including woodland if registered. The contract is for five years. Applicants need to identify, measure and retain important environmental features and areas on the farm. The application process is map based (provided by Natural England), supported with an application form. Higher Level Stewardship is targeted towards high priority habitats and areas, and a detailed Farm Environmental Plan (FEP) needs to be prepared before an application is submitted. HLS applications go through an assessment procedure, which takes into account how the application meets a wide range of environmental priorities identified in your local HLS targeting statement. All land to be entered in Environmental Stewardship must be registered on the Rural Land Register [RLR] and have a vendor number. Contact the Rural Payments Agency (see below). Forestry Commission Woodland management advice England Woodland Grant Scheme Although HLS can include small sale woodland management, larger woodlands are suitable for Forestry Commission (EWGS) grants available for the management and planting of woodland. Some are target based for specific important and rare species or important areas, and others are more general and apply throughout the South East Region. Sites of Special Scientific Interest and plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) are especially targeted. Funding is limited and subject to proposals meeting the rules of the scheme and the particular grant applied for, as well as wider environmental standards. Woodland must be registered on the Rural Land Register (see below). Defra RDPE South East Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) farm-and-forestry-improvement-scheme Part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE), FFIS aims to help businesses to become more competitive and more profitable, while reducing the impact of farming on the environment. Farmers, foresters, woodland owners, agricultural contractors and horticulturalists can apply for grants of up to 25,000 to invest in green projects, new machinery and improvements to animal health and welfare.

2 FFIS will fund projects that: Save energy and reduce carbon emissions Reduce dependence on artificial fertilizers through better use of manures Improve soil quality Improve animal health and welfare Save and recycle water Promote woodland management by processing timber more efficiently Other grants available under the RDPE: Rural Economy Grant (up to 60 million) grants of up to 1 million or more for micro and SME businesses to boost farm competitiveness, and support significant growth in the agri-food, rural tourism, forestry, renewable energy, and other high-potential (e.g. ICT and creative) sectors particularly. Skills and Knowledge Transfer (up to 20 million) a flexible and locally targeted skills training programme to enable rural business growth. Kent Countryside Management Partnerships (CMP) Countryside management advice and help Funding available? No cmp@kent.gov.uk The Kent Countryside Partnerships play a vital role in the conservation and enhancement of the Kent countryside and coast and making it accessible to all. Working with local communities, landowners and statutory and non statutory bodies, the CMPs encourage, advise on and assist with the management of the wider countryside, as well as special sites, landscapes such as the Kent Downs, and species such as water vole. CMPs can give practical help with projects such as hedge and pond restoration, give talks and presentations, produce literature and information and provide volunteering opportunities. They administer one-off grants available from the Kent Downs AONB to fund the capital costs of restoring landscape features. Kent Downs AONB Advice, information and guidance Landscape enhancement grants Summary guidance on farmsteads in the Kent Downs AONB and information for Landscape Character Areas Funding available? No s mail@kentdowns.org.uk The Kent Downs AONB Unit is a strategic body that works with partners to achieve the conservation and enhancement of the AONB. It has a number of core functions and can also provide information and expertise. The Unit has produced a wide range of guidance documents including the Landscape Design Handbook, and information and advice to support positive horse keeping in the Kent Downs. All the guidance documents are available on the website. Natural England Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) Funding available? Capital grants (publications) The Stour and Medway catchments are CSF priority areas for advice and assistance under a range of measures aimed at improving farm practices and reducing water pollution from agriculture. CSF advisers work with farmers to help reduce pollution and encourage good farm practice. CSF can offer landowners advice on practical steps to reduce impact on

3 water and water quality, runs workshops and events, and can even provide valuable tools such as soil sampling. There can also be capital works grants for items such as yard works, fencing watercourses and livestock tracks, which can help protect valuable resources and habitats. Environment Agency Waste, pollution, water management Funding available? Via CSF EA plays a central role in delivering environmental protection policies such as Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and also has responsibility for protecting communities from the risk of flooding and managing water resources. The principal aims of the EA are to protect and improve the environment, and to promote sustainable development. A wide remit ranges from wildlife projects for threatened species, boating and angling, to working with farmers and land managers as guardians of the environment, tackling pollution and adding to the beauty of the countryside. Guidance booklets on Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZ) Maps of NVZ areas Funding available? Capital allowance on tax (helpline) Rural Payments Agency (RPA) Single Payment Scheme (SPS) Rural Land Registry (RLR) Funding available? Via SPS CSC@rpa.gsi.gov.uk To get your land registered with the Rural Land Registry (RLR), first contact the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) on to get an RPA vendor number and a County Parish Holding (CPH) number. The vendor number is a unique trader registration number allocated to you by the RPA so that you can receive payments (You will also need to put this number on any ELS or HLS application forms). The CPH number enables Natural England to identify the location of your holding and provide your application maps. If you have previously claimed payments under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS) or other Defra/RPA schemes, you will already have a vendor number and a CPH number. If you do not have a vendor number or a CPH number, you will be given them by the RPA. The RPA will also send you a CREG01 form so you can register your business details, plus and RLE1 form. The RLE1 allows you to register land for the first time, and you will also need to send an existing map and the areas of fields and other features you want to register. You should register everything except buildings and yard areas. A pack of nine guidance leaflets that tell farmers and landholders what they need to do to comply with the NVZ regulations, the leaflets can also be downloaded separately as PDF. The maps can also be accessed on the internet so you can see if all or part of your land is in an NVZ.

4 Defra Farming Advice Service (helpline) The new Farming Advice Service (FAS) includes and replaces the former Cross Compliance Advice Programme and provides land management advice to help you improve your economic and environmental performance on: Cross Compliance Nutrient Management Competitiveness Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation The website provides up to date information as well as details of workshops and events. Campaign for the Farmed Environment Biodiversity and resource protection Funding available? Via ELS The Campaign for the Farmed Environment (CFE) encourages farmers to retain uncropped land and take up ELS/HLS options or voluntary management that is likely to be of greatest benefit to the environment, while at the same time being agronomically reasonable. CFE holds practical demonstrations and provides literature and advice. Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust Advice, information and training for farmland biodiversity Species research Integrated pest control Kent Wildlife Trust Advice on biodiversity in Kent and on the management of County Wildlife Sites Kent & Medway Biological Records Centre Information on the location and status of habitats and species in Kent Kent Biodiversity Partnership Link to the Kent Biodiversity Action Plan Partnership projects Biodiversity Opportunity Areas

5 The Conservation Volunteers Green Gyms, volunteering and training activities Community warden schemes e.g. ponds Kent County Council Information on Kent Sites and Monuments Records for historic sites heritage.aspx RAMSAK machinery ring Provision of machinery, contractors and a wide range of other services that can help with land management in Kent enquiries@ramsak.co.uk Kentish Cobnuts Association Advice on sourcing, planting, maintaining and marketing cobnuts Brogdale Horticultural Trust Houses the National Fruit Collection can supply over 3000 varieties of fruit trees Flora Locale Aim to promote and advance the conservation and enhancement of native wild plant populations and plant communities in relation to creative conservation and ecological restoration. Source of information and guidance Plantlife Aim to protect wild plants and to build understanding of the important role they play in everyone s lives. Source of information and guidance