Cheshire Wildlife Trust is awarding grants for the restoration and creation of ponds in Cheshire East under Natural England’s District Level Licensing scheme for Great Crested Newts.  Eligible ponds must fall within the project target areas because newts are expected to colonise the ponds naturally from existing populations. The scheme[…]

An update on the Sustainable Farming Incentive !! Many of you will now have heard the very disappointing and unexpected news that the SFI was closed last night. A new post has just been published on the Farming blog explain the current situation. Read the new post: https://defrafarming.blog.gov.uk/2025/03/11/an-update-on-the-sustainable-farming-incentive/ Be assured that[…]

800km Coast to Coast across India – see the progress of Jane, Nicky & Rachel A big THANK YOU to all of you who have already contributed !!! We still have a fair few miles, numerous more challenges and lots of memories to make but most importantly a few more[…]

Next week, the ELM Associates team will set off on an epic India Coast to Coast Cycle Challenge, in aid of the AMMF cancer charity.  We’ll be pedalling over 975km from Chennai on the east coast, over the mountains to Kochi on the west coast, over 10 non-stop days.  We[…]

SFI Update and Top Tips for applications The 2024 expanded SFI Offer is now fully up and running.  The expression of interest process and additional post submission checks have been removed and generally agreements are offered within a few weeks with a start date of the following month,  unless any[…]

Last week the RPA announced the temporary closure of the CS capital grant scheme whilst a spending review is undertaken.  Over the last few months both the volume and value of capital applications has increased dramatically and is impacting upon the funding available. What this means for you:

How to Carry Out Your SFI Hedgerow Assessment Hedgerows are often overlooked in farm management, but under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), they hold significant value—both for the environment and your finances. With the SFI’s HRW1 action, assessing and recording the condition of your hedgerows is the first step toward[…]

All planning applications now require 10% Biodiversity Net Gain and this includes new slurry lagoons, silage clamps and livestock sheds.  While this may seem onerous most typical applications by farmers and landowners will be able to meet the requirements on farm through modest areas of habitat enhancement or creation.  It[…]

£2,500 Funding for New Ponds in Cheshire East Are you interested in creating a new pond and have land in Cheshire East local authority?  Ponds must be located within a target area and we can quickly check if your proposed site is eligible.  There is a payment of £2,500 per[…]

Bollin Local Landscape Recovery Project. The National Trust, Cheshire East Council and Tatton Estates are proposing an application for landscape recovery funding, the project will focus on the River Bollin catchment.  Landscape recovery money is focused on delivering habitat improvements across large areas and is bespoke funding so those involved[…]