Planning Your Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) Application Software

Abstract

The aim of the Entry Level Stewardship scheme is to encourage a large number of farmers across the whole of England, to deliver simple but effective environmental management. Farmers taking part in the scheme receive payments subject to them carrying out specific practices which they select from an approved list. These practices address issues such as minimising diffuse pollution, and protecting biodiversity, landscape and heritage features. On behalf of the RSPB, AERU developed a simple software package allowing farmers to formulate an Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) strategy that will be of maximum benefit to farmland biodiversity. It assists the user to select a series of management options that will suit a particular farm type, and bird species and other wildlife of particular significance. As a result, the points requirement of the farm can be met, whilst making a valuable contribution to the preservation and encouragement of our rural wildlife heritage. This system was distributed free with Farmers Weekly, and free of charge by the RSPB