It was designed to make payments to farmers and land managers to improve the natural beauty and diversity of the countryside. The scheme is now administered by Natural England and its objectives are to:

• sustain the beauty and diversity of the landscape
• improve and extend wildlife habitats
• conserve archaeological sites and historic features
• improve opportunities for countryside enjoyment
• restore neglected land or features
• create new habitats and landscapes.

In 2001 a ten year CSS agreement was put in place for Roadford Lake for various fields around the lake. The agreement focused on the Culm grasslands, hedgerow management, grassland management and orchard restoration.

The Scheme is split into Annual Management and Capital Payments and are claimed annually on completion.

A majority of the capital payments were front-loaded into the first four years of the agreement, but additional areas can be added at a later date if desired.

In summary, the Roadford agreement contains the following:

• Lowland hay meadow annual and rotational cutting
• Culm grassland management
• Lowland pasture management
• Old orchard restoration and management
• Educational access
• Boundary protection and management (e.g hedgerows and earth banks)
• Scrub management plan .

In 2008 The Trust successfully obtained additional funding under the Scheme for the following work:

• Orchard Management Plan
• Fencing of three Culm Grassland fields for grazing management
• Hedge laying around orchard
• Pond creation
• Restoration of orchard behind the Angling & Watersports Centre

The Countryside Stewardship Scheme will cease in 2011 and therefore the Trust's conservation team will be looking to apply for Entry and Higher Level Stewardship funding to enable the positive management to continue.