Farmers and landowners within the Nidderdale National Landscape (NNL) area are encouraged to express interest in the FiPL funding programme, which has been extended by DEFRA until March 2026.
FiPL officer at NNL Matt Trevelyan, welcomed the extension to the funding, which helps manage protected landscapes, support rural economies, and protect the environment for future generations.: “This extension is great news and will bring widespread benefits to rural communities across the whole of the Nidderdale National Landscape area,” he said.
“The scheme has and will continue to enable farmers and landowners to implement valuable initiatives that support both nature and rural development, and we’re keen to hear from anyone interested in getting involved across the whole of the Nidderdale area.
Mr Trevelyan said he also hopes the further funding is a sign of more to come: “A longer-term commitment to this support is needed if we are to support the farmers and landowners to meet the nature and climate challenges we face and to keep rural communities sustainable.”
FiPL projects across Nidderdale have already improved biodiversity, boosted climate resilience, and promoted sustainable farming, shaping future environmental land management schemes.
New, thriving wetlands across the area are a good example; NNL’s Wetland Creation Project efforts have resulted in 34 newly created ponds, 7 restored ponds, and 15 scrape areas – equivalent to 3.5 football pitches – offering diverse freshwater environments for a variety of species.
The project, which has cost around £200,000, has focused on enhancing habitat connectivity and increasing biodiversity. By working collaboratively with landowners across 17 sites, the initiative has successfully transformed 4.98 hectares of land into wetland habitat within fields covering a total of 134 hectares.
Iain Mann, NNL manager, said “This winter’s pond creation efforts have been ongoing since September and are now nearing completion, just in time for the bird breeding season and the end of hibernation for many species.
“Creating wet features in strategic areas across the landscape creates a more joined up approach providing the optimum opportunity for species recovery. Increasing connectivity ensures greater resilience to climate change.
“Wet habitats are home to insects, small mammals and aquatic invertebrates, which provide feeding opportunities for protected species such as bats, barn owls and red listed ground-nesting birds.
“This is an exciting time for wildlife as they begin to explore these new freshwater habitats. Future monitoring will help us identify the aquatic invertebrates and small mammals that settle here.”
A striking example of the project’s success can be seen with the presence of a dragonfly (pictured) photographed at a newly created wetland site just three weeks after excavation, demonstrating how quickly wildlife can adapt to and thrive in new environments.
Matt said: “The wetlands are a great example of how FiPL supports the collaboration between NNL and farmers and landowners across the protected landscape. Without their support, we would not have been able to deliver initiatives like this on such a large scale and we’re keen to hear from anyone who would like more information.”
The Farming in Protected Landscape Programme has also funded electric fencing and water infrastructure, allowing farmers to divide pastures into smaller cells and manage grazing with daily moves. This dramatically increases the recovery time for pastures, boosting overall productivity, whilst reducing inputs.
“Farmers are harnessing the power of precision grazing to tackle soil compaction, boost profits, and manage biodiversity”, said Matt.
“We’ve also been able to kickstart farm diversification projects – for example, by funding the equipment required to set up a young farmer with an ice cream business.
“We’ve also funded a mobile hen house with a stocking capacity of 450 laying hens, to allow another young farmer to boost their free-range egg production,” he said. “The unit allows the farmer to incorporate the egg enterprise into their sheep and beef rotation, boosting soil health and managing the parasitic burden in his livestock.
“The FiPL programme can often fund items and activities that standard schemes don’t cover; our team can help anyone develop their project – so the message is, don’t let the forms put you off!”
Anyone interested in accessing funding can contact Matt Trevelyan on:
Email: [email protected]
Mobile: 07745 544 872
