Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs)
Find out more about the new Environmental Stewardship scheme on our website, or download the new promotional booklet 
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- What is it?
- What are the benefits of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme?
- Who can apply for the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme?
- Am I in an Environmentally Sensitive Area?
- How do I apply?
Agri-environment Matters - the newsletter for all Agri-environment agreement holders in England
What is the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme?
The Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme was introduced in 1987 to offer incentives to encourage farmers to adopt agricultural practices which would safeguard and enhance parts of the country of particularly high landscape, wildlife or historic value. The scheme has now closed to new applicants. Defra introduced a new Environmental Stewardship Scheme on 3 March 2005 which supersedes (with enhancements) the Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Countryside Stewardship Schemes. These pages are in the process of being updated to reflect the latest information relating to the individual ESAs.
There are 22 ESAs in England, covering some 10% of agricultural land. These were introduced in stages as follows:-
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Stage I |
Stage II |
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Stage III |
Stage IV |
What are the benefits of the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme?
The ESAs scheme aims to maintain and often to enhance the conservation, landscape and historical value of the key environmental features of an area, and, where possible, improve public access to these areas.
Farmer managed ESAs include some of our most important landscapes - upland: wetland; moor; coastal marsh; river valleys, which offer protection for some of our rarest plants (orchids, cornflower) and establish a suitable environment for the recovery of native species (brown hare, otter, water vole).
In signing up to a 10 year management agreement with the Department, farmers receive an annual payment on each hectare of land entered into the scheme. (A five year termination clause is available to the agreement holder and the Department).
Resulting environmental benefits have included:-
- improved numbers of wading birds in lowland wet grassland;
- protection and improvement of species rich grassland on the chalkdowns and in hay meadows;
- landscape improvements from better management of features such as hedges and dry stone walls and from conversion of arable to grassland;
- protection of historic features, such as ancient field systems.
Who can apply for the Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme?
How do I apply?
The Environmentally Sensitive Areas Scheme is now closed to new applicants. Defra introduced a new Environmental Stewardship Scheme on 3 March 2005 which supersedes (with enhancements) the Environmentally Sensitive Areas and Countryside Stewardship Schemes.
Am I in an Environmentally Sensitive Area?
Entering your postcode below will launch an interactive map showing the Environmentally Sensitive Areas in your area.
This is a link to MAGIC, the Multi-Agency Geographic Information for the Countryside. MAGIC is a one-stop shop for rural and countryside information from the Defra's partner organisations, bringing together definitive rural designation boundaries and information about rural land-based schemes in one place for the first time.
Page last modified:
2 June, 2008
Page published: 10 December, 2002