Test and Trials Phase 3 - 'Landscape Recovery'

To help the development of the future Schemes that reward environmental land management we are conducting a variety of Tests and Trials, aimed at conducting research to contribute to our understanding of how parts of the new scheme work in a real-life environment.

We are working with a range of different stakeholders, across different geographies to undertake the Tests and Trials, including farmer groups, representative bodies and non-governmental organisations.

The most ambitious scheme is Landscape Recovery. Landscape Recovery will support the restoration and enhancement of natural ecosystem function at scale through transformative land use change projects delivered over the long term. Such projects will restore wilder landscapes in places where this is appropriate, through the creation of woodland, restoring wetlands and peatlands, enhancing bogs, fens or saltmarshes or a mosaic of different habitats.

These projects will contribute towards the future schemes environmental objectives and support local environmental priorities while making an important contribution to national targets. We expect that this scheme will be competitive.

Tests and Trials are inviting proposals from stakeholders to Test and Trial the mechanisms required to deliver long-term land use changes with farmers and land managers, for example Testing the practical elements of long-term commitments (30+ years), developing models that can be rolled out more widely and Trialling innovative mechanisms such as conservation covenants.

Tests and Trials should be designed to be able to make policy and delivery recommendations that are suitable for roll out within landscape recovery throughout England, rather than recommending approaches that are only applicable in specific circumstances or locations.

The specific areas of interest identified for this call are outlined in the opportunity documents.