Call for new surveyors to join farm plan team
25 January 2010
Natural England is launching a ‘recruitment drive’ in the North East to encourage people to join a new register of Farm Environment Plan surveyors.
Commissioning a Farm Environment Plan (FEP) is an essential first step for any farmers and land managers who want to join Natural England’s flagship environmentally friendly farming scheme, Higher Level Stewardship (HLS).
The plan is a detailed survey of all the environmental features on a farm and involves identifying and making an assessment of the condition of any features of historical, wildlife, resource protection, access and landscape interest on the land.
Due to the high level of interest in joining the HLS scheme in the North East from farmers and land managers, Natural England is putting out a call for suitably qualified people such as ecological consultants, chartered surveyors, land agents or graduates of land use or countryside management degree courses to consider joining the FEP register.
FEPs need to be carried out by someone who has experience of the practical issues involved in the objectives of the HLS scheme. The farm survey work can provide an additional source of income and training courses are availble for anyone who is suitably qualified, but has not completed a FEP before.
Natural England is introducing a better system for farmers and land owners who want join the HLS scheme to access details of FEP surveyors in their region. They can then make contact with surveyors to get a quote for their service and choose someone who best suits their needs.
Visit the website for more information about registering for the FEP register or becoming a surveyor.
HLS is one of the Environmental Stewardship schemes offered by Natural England to provide funding to land managers who deliver effective environmental management on their land. Through Environmental Stewardship schemes Natural England aims to conserve wildlife and biodiversity, maintain landscapes, protect historical features and reduce diffuse pollution.
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Additional notes:
Natural England works for people, places and nature to conserve and enhance biodiversity, landscapes and wildlife in rural, urban, coastal and marine areas. We conserve and enhance the natural environment for its intrinsic value, the wellbeing and enjoyment of people, and the economic prosperity it brings.
Environmental Stewardship is an agri-environment scheme which provides funding to farmers and other land managers in England who deliver effective environmental management on their land.
Environmental Stewardship (ES) is designed to build on the recognised success of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme and the Countryside Stewardship Scheme. Its primary objectives are to:
Conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
Maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
Protect the historic environment and natural resources
Promote public access and understanding of the countryside
Natural resource protection
