Conservationists have raised concerns over a new clause in England's nature recovery plan that allows the government to terminate contracts with just one year's notice. The clause, part of the landscape recovery scheme under the Environmental Land Management schemes (Elms), has been criticised for undermining long-term commitments to habitat restoration.
The scheme, which replaced EU farming subsidies, was initially designed to allocate a third of the £2.4bn annual farming budget to landscape recovery. However, Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds announced this week that only £500m would be provided over 20 years, a fraction of the original pledge. Conservationists warn that the funding shortfall, combined with the termination clause, will deter landowner participation and reduce protected land.
Jake Fiennes, director of conservation at the Holkham estate, a pilot site for the scheme, described the funding as inadequate. He noted that the £500m over 20 years amounts to a tiny fraction of the annual budget, while landowners face high costs for permanent land-use changes, such as re-meandering rivers. The National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw added that attracting private investment, which Defra suggests could top up funding, remains challenging due to the risk of contract termination.
The government's environmental improvement plan has also scaled back targets for nature on farmland. Alice Groom of the RSPB highlighted that the target has dropped from 65-80% of farmers managing 10% of land for nature to just 41% managing 7%, calling it a significant step backward. Toby Perkins, chair of the environmental audit committee, expressed scepticism that the £25m per year allocation is adequate for the ambitious goals.
