Time to apply for Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant Scheme
The 2019 Countryside Stewardship Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant Scheme offers farmers an excellent opportunity to unlock public funding to help restore neglected hedges and stone walls.
Hedges and walls are a valuable part of the country’s heritage, landscape and biodiversity, as well as being important from a management perspective.
The payments on offer through the scheme represent a significant proportion of the actual costs of carrying out the work.
The big change in 2018 was that landowners could apply for a maximum grant of £10,000, when in previous years the limit had been £5,000. This higher limit has been continued in 2019.
The payment rates remain the same as in 2018, with options including £9.40/m for hedgerow laying, £9.50/m for filling in gaps and £25/m for stonewall restoration.
The scheme is only aimed at the restoration of hedges and stone walls, so farmers wanting funding to establish a new hedgerow or boundary, including fencing options, should make an application under the wider mid- or higher-tier Countryside Stewardship Scheme.
Applications for the Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant Scheme can be made online via the Rural Payments system.
The closing date for applications is 3 May.
For more advice and information about any agri-environment or rural development grant please contact Ryan Lindley on 01609 780306.
Download the Hedgerows and Boundaries Grant Scheme paper here.
