Land Use Consultation for England

Right now, the Government is consulting on our vision for England's future land use and how to achieve it. The consultation closes 25 April 2025, so there is still plenty of time remaining to contribute. If you wish to do so, head over to DEFRA's website. It is well worth it.

Several questions were seriously on point. So much so, I felt the need to throw my own ideas into the ring. I've included them below.

I highly recommend submitting your own thoughts too.

Question

What are the policies, incentives and other changes that are needed to support decision makers in the agricultural sector to deliver this scale of land use change, while considering the importance of food production?

My Response

Money is of course the biggest incentive regardless of how depressing it is to say it. If landscape stewardship schemes provide farmers and land owners enough financial incentive to adopt them, they will embrace them whether or not they fundamentally believe in their benefits. If, however, you wish to win hearts and minds, farmers and land owners must demonstrate for themselves the benefits of adopting such schemes. For example, subsidised activities designed to improve soil health for improved long-term crop production must genuinely deliver this benefit in a blindingly obvious way. Otherwise, the activity will simply undermine itself by fulfilling nothing more than a tick box on a document rather than real benefits to the environment or the farmer/land owner.

Question

How could Government support more land managers to implement multifunctional land uses that deliver a wider range of benefits, such as agroforestry systems with trees within pasture or arable fields?

My Response

There is a reticence to convert cleared agricultural land to land including trees because it reduces the monetary value of the land. Measures must be put in place to ensure land value is maintained or increased when converted to agroforestry systems.

 

Question

What approaches could cost-effectively support nature and food production in urban landscapes and on land managed for recreation?

My Response 

We should put incentives in place to increase the production of fruit and vegetables within the boundaries of our urban catchment areas to feed their local populations. Ramping up urban food production would not only provide fresh, healthy, locally produced food but would also reduce the food production demands on our countryside. Such a model would free up rural land managers to shift their focus away from food production towards stewardship of ecosystem services. It would also reconnect our urban populations with their own food production by offering convenient local employment in the sector. This model would be a win-win for both our rural and urban areas.