CLA concerned landowners protecting the environment will go unrewarded

The CLA says Natural England's new Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) target areas are forgetting the achievements made under 'classic' agri-environment schemes such as the Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) and Environmentally Sensitive Area (ESA) scheme.

Responding to the Government agency's latest conservation initiative, CLA President Henry Aubrey-Fletcher said: "Land managers have been protecting the environment with the help of agri-environment schemes for more than 20 years. Many of these farms are now outside of the new HLS target areas and may find they are unable to renew into the new scheme simply because of new lines drawn on a map.

"This sends out an appalling message to the industry that land managers hard work to protect and enhance our environment may not be rewarded in future.

"Without continued funding many land managers' will be unable to afford to manage the important habitats and heritage features on their land which will consequently deteriorate.The public should be asking why their investments to date in creating and maintaining habitats and other environmental features are now being abandoned to chase new government targets."

The CLA President added: "It is a great pity that NE has decided to drop an ELS Plus agri-environment scheme which would have offered higher payments for the more complex management necessary to maintain priority features in the countryside that are currently not within an HLS target area."

CLA MEDIA CONTACTS:

For further information and interviews:

Oliver Wilson, Director of Communications, 020 7460 7936 or 07702 928828, ollie.wilson@cla.org.uk,

Phillippa Coates, Press Officer, 020 7460 7934, phillippa.coates@cla.org.uk

Out of hours duty phone: 020 7201 9511.

Contact

Claire Collyer
Conservation Adviser

Advises on agri-environment grant schemes, SPS, cross compliance, designated areas (including SSSIs, SACs and SPAs) and the greening of the CAP.

T: 020 7235 0511
F: 020 7235 4696
claire.collyer@cla.org.uk

Media Contacts

Ollie Wilson
Director of Communications

T: 020 7460 7936
F: 020 7460 7962
ollie.wilson@cla.org.uk

Lisa O'Brien
National Press Officer

T: 020 7460 7934
lisa.obrien@cla.org.uk

Out of hours: 020 7201 9511

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