Natural England has commissioned LUC to review current literature exploring the environmental impacts of Agri-Environment Schemes (AES) interventions since the introduction of Environmental Stewardship. Environmental Stewardship, alongside the current scheme Countryside Stewardship, supports land managers across England to look after and improve the environment.

In collaboration with CCRI and ESL, LUC aims to identify gaps in understanding Agri-Environment schemes by focusing on biodiversity and carbon sequestration. Our experts are analysing over 200 options, reviewing over 3,000 abstracts from published literature and reports to identify key terms related to Agri-Environment Schemes. The next stage of the project is to provide a summary of key findings based on comprehensive reviews of papers that meet the screening criteria.

This review will allow targeted research and further reviews to ensure options provide their intended outcomes and help inform future policy.