Farming in Protected Landscapes gets £10m boost

The Farming in Protected Landscapes (FiPL) programme has been extended by Defra until March 2025 with an additional £10m in funding due to be provided each year.

The move is intended to accelerate and enhance support for farms in national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty (AONB), and to boost access for the public.

More than 2,500 projects have already been supported through the programme, including the planting of 100 miles of hedgerows.

See also: Natural England’s protected landscapes plans risk farmers’ livelihoods

Defra has also announced that it is aiming to deliver enhanced management plans through new legislation and establish a new Protected Landscapes Partnership.

Defra secretary Therese Coffey said: “We anticipate that through these measures, protected landscapes will be able to make a major contribution to meeting our international commitment to protect 30% of land for biodiversity by 2030, as well as our Environment Act targets to halt and then reverse the decline in nature.”

The newly established Protected Landscapes Partnership will receive about £2m in funding to deliver a range of nature recovery projects with stakeholders including the National Association for AONBs, National Parks England, National Trails UK and Natural England.

Tony Juniper, chairman of Natural England, said: “The new Protected Landscapes Partnership offers more opportunity to give practical effect to this mission and we look forward to working with everyone in driving forward with enhanced ambition and confidence in meeting national environmental targets.”