Defra has pledged £500 million to help landowners and managers undertake nature recovery actions.
A revised Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) involves combining government funding with private investment, the aim to restore or create 250,000 hectares of wildlife-rich habitats outside of protected sites by December 2030. This involves doubling the number of farms providing sufficient year-round resources for farm wildlife, compared with 2025.
Environment Secretary Emma Reynolds described the EIP as a ‘step change in restoring nature’ and pledged that ambitious targets will be backed by real action.
However, the plan hasn’t been met with universal approval, especially when it comes to food production.
The RSPB feels it is a little short of what is needed. Chief Executive Beccy Speight said: “There are certainly some positives here, including greater ambition to restore habitats for nature by 2030 and clearer plans for how action to restore nature will be delivered. But the gap between where we are now and where we need to be in terms of nature restoration grows wider the longer we wait for meaningful action. Nearly one in six species in Great Britain faces extinction; the loss is real and it’s accelerating.”
Concerns over alignment with food production
The NFU welcomes the EIP but feels questions remain over how it aligns with food production.
NFU President Tom Bradshaw said: “The clear direction from Defra is that they need farmers to deliver for the environment. What farmers need from Defra in return is similar clarity on the importance of domestic food production and a policy framework that supports that.”
Referring to her comments on ‘Britain’s rolling hills and stunning coastline’, Tom noted it shouldn’t be forgotten that these landscapes exist because generations of farmers have shaped and cared for them while producing food for the nation. “We need polices that enable farm businesses to produce food and strengthen food security alongside these environmental goals,” he added.
A particular concern for the NFU is that attracting private investment has been challenging in the past.
This is why it is calling for clarity over the Sustainable Farming Incentive, alongside delivery of the EIP to deliver a multifunctional Land Use Framework that gives food production equal priority to environmental delivery. “A resilient food system is not just an ambition, it’s a necessity,” he remarked.
Dr Beth Robinson of consultants Biodiversify said the £500 million commitment to landscape recovery shows the Government is treating nature restoration as economic infrastructure, not discretionary spending.
However, she too is cautious. “With only two projects currently moving into delivery from dozens in development, the real test is whether this funding translates into implementation agreements at the scale needed—not just for a handful of pilots, but for the majority of projects in the pipeline.
“Land managers have seen policy shifts before. What unlocks private capital and drives genuine landscape transformation is consistent, long-term government backing that they can build their businesses around. The UK can lead the global nature economy while rebuilding the ecosystems. But momentum means action, not announcements.”
Key EIP points for farming
The plan sets out four goals covering nature restoration, air, water and chemicals. Specific to agriculture are:
- Support farmers and land managers to create or restore 48,000km of hedgerows by 2037 and £85 million to improve and restore peatlands
- Reduce total nitrogen, phosphorous and sediment pollution by at least 12% by December 2030, compared to 2018 levels, increasing to at least 18% in catchments containing protected sites in unfavourable condition
- Support sustainable water use through enabling an increase in the number of Water Abstractor Groups from 7 to 14 by 2030
- A first-ever plan to reduce risks from ‘forever chemicals’ (PFAS) to health and the environment, with a review of sewage sludge spreading rules to ensure sustainable practices
- End the use of neonicotinoid pesticides (clothianidin, imidacloprid and thiamethoxam)
