Catalogue description Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Agri-Environment Team: Review of Agri-Environment Schemes in England (DAR Prefix Series)

Agri-environment schemes were set up to help farmers manage their land in an environmentally-friendly way. These schemes include the Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESA) and Countryside Stewardship (CS) schemes. The ESA was introduced in 1987 for an agricultural area which needed special protection due to its landscape, historical value or wildlife. The CS scheme was originally introduced in 1991 as five year pilot scheme by the Countryside Commission to improve the environmental value of farmland. The administration was taken over by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food in 1996, expanding to include new landscapes and features. The scheme was incorporated into the England Rural Development Programme in 2000. Agreements for both schemes were for 10 years and were closed for new entrants in 2004 with the introduction of the Environmental Stewardship scheme. The schemes are now administered by Natural England.