Both the Wye Valley and Malvern Hills AONBs have been allocated funding to deliver the 1st year of the Farming in Protected Landscapes programme. Eligible projects must fit into at least one of the following themes: Nature, Climate, People, and Place. Grants can cover capital and revenue costs up to 100% for projects that have no commercial benefit, or 40-80% of costs for those that do, if they offer good value for money. Proposals will be assessed by a Local Assessment Panel and the process may be competitive.
Costs associated with advice, such as the most appropriate method of restoring, creating or managing species rich grassland can be included in your application. Applications can run alongside existing Stewardship agreements. All grant-funded works must be completed by March 2024, when the programme will close.
The grant also provides an opportunity to apply to purchase equipment to support habitat management. In order to accelerate the rate of meadow restoration we know there’s a need for seed cleaning equipment for brush harvested seed, cut and collect machinery, midi balers and much more. So if you are in an AONB Herefordshire Meadows would like to discuss machinery purchases to support collaborative meadow making as part of your application. Please do run any ideas past us and your AONB FIPL officer if you are interested in supporting meadow making in this way. Costs associated with advice can also be included in your application.
All proposals must show how they deliver against the objectives of the Wye Valley AONB and Malvern Hills AONB Management Plans. Proposals will be assessed by a Local Assessment Panel.
More information can be found at:
Malvern Hills AONB
Email: Sasha Warden fipl@worcestershire.gov.uk
Wye Valley AONB
Email: Nick Critchley development@wyevalleyaonb.org.uk