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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 fulfil this role.

In 2005, participating HERs supplied data for Natural England’s Selected National Heritage Dataset (SNHD), and continue to create data for its successor SHINE - the Selected Heritage Inventory for Natural England (2009 - present) which identifies undesignated historic environment features that could benefit from management under agri-environment schemes. Since 2008, SHINE has been used to inform the Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) schemes, enabling farmers and landowners to identify archaeological and historic sites on their holding that might be eligible for grant-aided management. From 2011 the data has been used in Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) Fast-track applications to flag up potential manageable features and focus advice on parcels where HLS options could be applied, and in 2013 the SHINE-HLS Trial used SHINE data as part of new online consultations process.

Environmental Stewardship will be replaced by the new Countryside Stewardship in summer 2015, comprising 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 enable the protection and enhancement of the historic environment. Targeting statements, informed by SHINE and consultation with HERs/ Countryside Archaeological Advisors, are being used to identify the priority features and issues for the Historic Environment within each Natural England defined National Character Area (NCA).

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 2009

Environmental 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. The scheme will be replaced by Countryside Stewardship in summer 2015

Countryside Stewardship#

The new environmental land management scheme replacing Environmental Stewardship (ES), the English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) and capital grants from the Catchment Sensitive Farming (CSF) programme. Countryside Stewardship will provide focused funding to rural businesses to help them improve the countryside environment. It will be open to all eligible farmers, land managers, land owners and tenants in summer 2015.

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 at www.myshinedata.org.uk.