Farmers, landowners, environmental organisations and Parish Councils are invited to apply for grants to support a wide range of countryside projects within the Isle of Wight National Landscape (formally the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty).
Defra have provided the Island with substantial finance to support a wide range of environmental initiatives including climate change (carbon storage and flood risk), improvements for wildlife (creating, managing and connecting habitats), providing people with better access to the countryside, and enhancing the Island’s landscape along with its historic features.
Timing is of the essence
By offering financial help across this broad range of topics, to almost anyone with a land connection, will enable imaginative and exciting ideas to be realised. In some situations 100% of the costs can be covered so the funding can be very generous.
To date, the grant has already achieved much across the Island helped by a straight-forward application process with guidance and support provided directly by National Landscapes. Timing is of the essence this year as the funding is to be allocated and spent before March 2025.
For help, contact Mark Simmons, National Landscapes Farm Adviser who will be pleased to guide you through the process and support your project [email protected], tel. 07851 093532.
Simmons: A golden opportunity
Mark Simmons, Farm Adviser for Isle of Wight National Landscape says,
“This is a golden opportunity to achieve those projects you always wanted to do but where financial support was not previously available.
“The grant is within the control of the National Landscapes team and local farmer panel so, using local knowledge, the best outcomes for the Island can be secured.”
Biles: It’s not just about normal farming and conservation activities
Sam and Fiona Biles from Calbourne said,
“We have been pleased with our FIPL application process. We received clear guidance on what would and developed a programme principally around restoring the historic hedgerows on our pasture farm in the heart of the Island’s National Landscape (AONB).
“Our old hedgelines show on 18th and 19th century maps of Calbourne, however some had disappeared over the years and others had become gappy and lost the bottom layer so important for nature conservation.
“It is not just about normal farming and conservation activities, but FiPL can be used to fund works such as nature interpretation, repairing features such as the historic Calbourne village pump canopy. If you are thinking of doing works in the National Landscape which may fall outside the normal ELMs schemes or have a historic feature you want to repair then contact the FIPL team.”
News shared by Vicky on behalf of IW National Landscape. Ed
