The Entry Level Stewardship is open to any landowner with the aim of delivering simple yet effective environmental management. Entry Level Stewardship aims to address the following issues:-

Diffuse pollution - issues such as soil erosion and nutrient leaching can be tackled more effectively by encouraging environmental management measures over a wide area of agricultural land

Loss of biodiversity - tackling declines in dispersed wildlife species such as farmland birds, brown hares, bats and many common invertebrates (e.g. butterflies, bees) needs suitable management across a wide area. Small patches of habitat lose some of their value if they are isolated from other similar areas, and areas of important wildlife habitat are directly influenced by what happens on surrounding land

Loss of landscape character - a broad approach is necessary to consistently influence what happens across large tracts of the countryside, to avoid the fragmentation of traditional landscape patterns. The maintenance of traditional field boundaries is particularly important

Damage to the historic environment - safeguarding historic features, such as archaeological sites and ridge and furrow grassland which are at risk of plough damage, also requires a consistent action over a wide area. Conservation of the historic environment is very important, as the features, once lost, are irreplaceable

• Acceptance is guaranteed provided the scheme requirements are met
• There will be a flat rate payment across the whole farm.
• Over 50 management options to choose from covering all farming types.
• Farmers choose options to reach a ‘points target’ related to the farm size.
• There will be quarterly start dates for agreements (1 February, 1 May, 1 August, 1 November).
• Agreements will last 5 years, and payment rates will be fixed for the term of the agreement.
• No grant will be given for capital works (these will be available under HLS).

Further details of this scheme can be found on the DEFRA website