Natural England - Entry Level Stewardship
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Entry Level Stewardship
Entry Level Stewardship
Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) is a voluntary, non-competitive scheme to encourage farmers across a wide area of farmland to deliver simple yet effective environmental management.
The scheme requires a basic level of environmental management and participants can choose from a wide range of more than 50 management options. These cover all farming types and include things such as hedgerow management, stone wall maintenance, low input grassland, buffer strips, and arable options.
How does ELS work?
Each year participants receive a payment of £30 per ha (except in extensively grazed upland areas) for all the land entered into the scheme. In return they will be required to deliver 30 points worth of options per ha of land in the scheme.
Five-year agreements are available, with monthly start dates and automatic payments sent out every six months. This straightforward application involves completing a Farm Environmental Record.
Natural England’s target is to provide an agreement within three months of receipt of a valid application.
How to apply
To apply for an ELS agreement, please contact your regional office. Or to apply online contact the ELS Online Team.
ELS application guidance documents
The following documents will help you with your application:
Example Options map [290 kB]
(also large version Key to map )Example Farm Environment Record [280 kB]
(also large version Key to Record )Management of ELS grass margins
to achieve isolation requirements for grass seed crops
Existing agreements
If you have an existing agreement that started before October 2008 you should refer to:
Find out more
You can find out more about the scheme by attending one of our Land Management Advice Events.