It will eventually supersede Countryside Stewardship and Environmentally Sensitive Area Agreements, as schemes come to fruition.

The aims of Environmental Stewardship are:

• Wildlife conservation (biodiversity)
• Maintenance and enhancement of landscape quality and character, by helping to maintain important features such as traditional field boundaries
• Protection of the historic environment, including archaeological features and traditional farm buildings
• Promotion of public access and understanding of the countryside
• Natural resource protection.

Entry Level Stewardship (ELS)

ELS is open to all farmers and land managers in England and it is non-competitive. South West Lakes Trust is currently working towards identifying suitable sites for inclusion in the ELS scheme in order to enhance its conservation work at various sites in its management.

Higher Level Stewardship (HLS)

HLS options are designed to contribute to one or more of the Scheme's objectives and are usually only available to land of significant environmental interest such as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or a Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

The Trust is currently liaising with South West Water and Natural England regarding an application for Crowdy Reservoir where there is a SSSI and SAC designation. Once this application is underway the Trust will be looking at other sites including Lopwell Dam, Fernworthy Reservoir, Wimbleball Lake and Roadford Lake to continue the good work of the Countryside Stewardship agreement.

Options for management under ELS and HLS include

• Boundary features
• Trees and woodland
• Historic and landscape features
• Buffer strips and marginal land
• Soil protection
• Grassland
• Moorland
• Access
• Lowland heathland
• Wetland.

Under each land management area there are various options for management which can be tailored to suit the individual site.