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 extent and condition of key landscape features managed under ES by comparing the agri-environment scheme data with data collected for the Countryside Survey 2007. It also investigated the influence of features managed under ES on the cultural values of landscapes using previously collected data on perceptions of landscape.
The results of this report, NECR156 – Assessment of the effect of Environmental Stewardship on improving the ecological status of grassland, moorland and heath and NECR157 – Assessing the importance of spatial location of agri environment options within the landscape to butterflies 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.