This study is one of three to correlatively analyse datasets to assess the degree of success in the delivery of Environmental Stewardship (ES) objectives. The studies are particularly relevant to ES, but do not discount the effects of earlier agri-environment schemes such as Environmentally Sensitive Areas and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
The aim is to evaluate how well Government funded agri-environment interventions are providing improved trajectories towards the planned objectives of the schemes.
This study looked at the ecological status of three key habitats (grassland, moorland and heath) within and outwith Higher Level Scheme agreements to examine whether the management options selected were having the intended impact on the status of the habitat.
The results of this report, NECR157 – Assessing the importance of spatial location of agri environment options within the landscape to butterflies and NECR158 – Assessment of the effects of Environmental Stewardship on landscape character will contribute to a wider analysis of similar linkages between management options and ES objectives, which will be used to help formulate and implement the next Rural Development Programme for England.