Conservation grants provide funding for habitat creation, improvement and management. Funding is provided by the European Union and each country in the UK has interpreted and implemented European legislation differently. Since 1 January 2015 there are new European Union funds and new rules apply.
Countryside Stewardship is the environmental land management scheme administered by Natural England.
Countryside Stewardship helps to improve flood management, landscape character, genetic conservation and climate change adaptation and mitigation.
In November 2017 a number of new streamlined Countryside Stewardship options were announced.
Existing (2007-2013) conservation grants under Environmental Stewardship – administered by Natural England – will continue to operate but will be closed to new applications.
The Welsh Government administers agricultural schemes. Glastir is the sustainable land management scheme, through which financial support is given to farmers and land managers.
The Scottish Rural Development Programme (SRDP) scheme guidance is available from the Scottish Government website.
Northern Ireland Agri-environment schemes details are available from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs website.
Green Shoots Mapping allows you to:
• help BASC promote the conservation benefits of shooting by providing your observations of wildlife
• mark up and save as many maps of your shooting land as you like which you can then print or email to colleagues
Grey Squirrel Control Since their introduction into Britain in the 1870s, grey squirrels have spread rapidly. They have displaced the red squirrel throughout most of England and Wales and in south-east and central Scotland. Grey squirrels can cause serious problems for foresters, native wildlife and gamekeepers. The bark stripping from
Green Shoots in Northern Ireland Protecting the red squirrel BASC NI is concerned that the native red squirrel is in decline across Northern Ireland, and that the decline is linked to the spread of the non-native grey squirrel. Under the Green Shoots programme, protecting the small populations of reds has
