A key requirement for the future development of AES is for them to be based on reliable and robust evidence base.
The project built on previous work and collated and synthesised recent results from research, monitoring and evaluation activities and distilling the main messages to inform policy in the transition to the new programme. A considerable amount of research, monitoring and evaluation work has been funded by Defra and Natural England since the inception of Environmental Stewardship, the current agri-environment scheme in England, in 2005. In addition, research undertaken in other Defra programmes has potential relevance to ES and the development of future options, particularly that relating to sustainable agriculture.
The project was run by the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) with ADAS undertaking work on resource protection.
Chris Short, Jane Mills and Carol Kambites were involved in the project and they focussed on the access, landscape and historic aspects of Environmental Stewardship as well as the wider socio-economic and organisational aspects.
