The Species Recovery Programme Capital Grant Scheme (SRPCGS) is Natural England's long-established Species Recovery Programme. The latest round opened in April 2023 with the aim has been to provide funding for projects designed to reverse declines of England’s most threatened Species of Principal Importance (Priority Species). Grants of up to half a million pounds were available, and over 100 applications were received for projects targeting more than 200 species. The scheme will run until March 2025 with a 5-year monitoring period embedded. You can read more details Natural England website
Purple Ramping Fumitory (Fumaria purpurea) .
(Photo credit: Ben Deed)
MEAS was successful in August 2023 with a bid for a Liverpool City Region (LCR) Farmland Species Recovery Project. This demonstrator Project seeks to work collaboratively with farmers encouraging regenerative farming practice targeting marginal, underused and less productive land to deliver species recovery of target Priority Species through capital habitat works. We also aim to unlock biodiversity net gain opportunities alongside agri-environment schemes.
Target species are: Brown hare, grey partridge, tree sparrow, lapwing, skylark, purple ramping fumitory, corn bunting, yellowhammer, water vole, and reed bunting.
The commencement of the Project represents a huge step forward for conservation of iconic yet vulnerable farmland species across the LCR. This Project aims to kick start nature recovery of farmland which makes up 30% of the LCR land area. At the end of 2023, suitable farms have been identified and we are planning the programme of survey and capital works in 2024.
Lapwing ( Photo courtesy of Mike Roberts)