A.1.3 Informing services#
Managing monuments in the landscape#
HERs in England have been a source of information for the Countryside Stewardship Scheme, a grant scheme which was first piloted in 1991. It aims included the conservation of archaeological sites and historic features, by adapting land management practices. The Countryside Stewardship Scheme was replaced by Environmental Stewardship in 2004, comprising two tiers – Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) and Higher Level Stewardship (HLS). HERs supplied information on the archaeology of the area, together with recommendations as to the optimum method of land management for all the Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) schemes. English Heritage was able to help many local authorities employ Historic Environment Countryside Advisers to carry out this work.
In 2005, Natural England in partnership with English Heritage and ALGAO, created the Selected National Heritage Dataset (SNHD), comprising selected archaeological sites across England, as recorded in the NMR, together with datasets supplied from nine participating HERs. The data was used to pre-populate applicant's maps for the Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) schemes. Given the limited coverage and lack of consistency of the archaeological sites included, SNHD was replaced by SHINE in 2009. SHINE - the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England - is a single nationally consistent dataset of undesignated historic environment features from across England that could benefit from management within agri-environment schemes. With over 60,000 records created by HERs to date, SHINE provides a much more consistent and comprehensive dataset, and through Environmental Stewardship, has enabled farmers, land managers, and land owners to identify archaeological and historic sites that might be eligible for grant-aided management, and has focused advice on areas where management options could benefit the historic environment. Environmental Stewardship was closed to new applicants in 2014, although existing agreements will be managed until they reach their agreed end date.
The new Countryside Stewardship will replace Environmental Stewardship in summer 2015. The new scheme comprises Higher Tier (similar to HLS) and Mid Tier (similar to ELS). Countryside Stewardship is more targeted than previous schemes with a focus on biodiversity and water quality, but continues to encourage the protection and improvement of the historic environment. Targeting statements, informed by SHINE, are being used to identify the priority features and issues for the historic environment within each National Character Area (NCA).
A.6.3 National networks and resources#
Natural England manage SHINE - the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England, a single, nationally consistent dataset of undesignated historic environment features from across England that could benefit from management within agri-environment schemes. The data is created by Local Authority Historic Environment Records (HERs), with each archaeological site assessed against a set of national selection criteria in order to qualify for inclusion in SHINE (Natural England, 2013). Data from each HER is merge into the national SHINE dataset which consists of over 60,000 records. SHINE is not publicly available; however, it is accessible to farmers, land managers, land owners and tenants entering into agri-environment schemes.
Another example is SHINE, the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England, which provides a single methodology that allows HERs to input data from their local record into a single nationally consistent dataset. SHINE represents an important step forward in managing the historic environment in rural England, ensuring that features that are manageable under agri-environment schemes are mapped to consistent national standards, promoting positive, appropriate management of the historic environment, in close partnership with Natural England and English Heritage.
GLOSSARY#
SNHD#
The Selected National Heritage Dataset. A datset of archaeological sites across England used by Natural England to pre-populate maps for Environmental Stewardship. This dataset was created in early 2005 and contained selected archaeological sites from across England, as recorded in the NMR, together with datasets supplied from nine participating HERs. The dataset was replaced by SHINE in 2009Environmental Stewardship#
Includes Entry-level Scheme (ELS) and Higher Level Scheme (HLS) in England, Tir Cynnal and Tir Gofal (in Wales) and Rural Stewardship Scheme in Scotland. Environmental Stewardship schemes are agri-environment schemes which provide funding to farmers and other land managers who deliver effective environmental management on their land. In England the scheme will be replaced by Countryside Stewardship in summer 2015, with existing agreements will still be managed, until they reach their agreed end date.Countryside Stewardship#
The new environmental land management scheme replacing Environmental Stewardship, the English Woodland Grant Scheme and capital grants from the Catchment Sensitive Farming programme, in England from Summer 2015. Countryside Stewardship will provide targeted funding to farmers and other land managers who deliver effective environmental management on their land.SHINE#
The Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England, a single nationally consistent dataset of undesignated historic environment features from across England that could benefit from management within agri-environment schemes. The data has been created by Local Authority HERs and merged into a national dataset. To qualify for SHINE, the archaeological site must be substantive, verifiable sites, of known character, with an extent that is closely mappable, and which would benefit from one of the management options. Further information can be found atShine website