ELMS Test and Trial

Environmental land Management Test and Trial

Environmental land management is changing. The UK government are in the process of designing a new Environmental Land Management Scheme (ELMS). ELMS will encourage farmers to enter a funded contract to reward the current or increase the provision of a range of environmental outcomes (or 'public goods') from Defra’s 25 year plan including: clean air; clean and plentiful water; thriving plants and wildlife and enhancing beauty, heritage and engagement.
This scheme will start in earnest in 2024.

Defra want this scheme to be innovative and developed ‘bottom up’. They have commissioned numerous test and trial projects across the country to work on ideas for the scheme. Cuckmere and Pevensey Levels Catchment Partnership were one of these, with three key objectives.

Objective 1: Identify ELMS priorities joining up natural capital, spatial planning and issues affecting local people and reflect the aims of Defra’s 25 Year Plan.
Objective 2: Work with local farmers to develop land management plans that deliver the above priorities.
Objective 3. Consider how a locally-led organisation, like a catchment partnership, could deliver ELMS and how different funding streams, for example water company, charitable trusts, developer contribution (net gain and district licensing) could potentially be delivered alongside it.

The test and trial ran from January 2020 to March 2021, lead by South East Rivers Trust, Natural England and South East Water with the detailed involvement of the catchment partnership, including the farm cluster and local artists. Reports on and other information on this page are the projects outputs.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FINAL REPORT