The Farming in Protected Landscapes Programme seeks to provide investment in protected landscapes to help deliver outcomes for the environment, people and place by working in partnership with farmers.

DEFRA have confirmed that the FiPL programme has been extended to March 2026.  We are now inviting expressions of interest for projects. See below for how to apply.

It is open to all farmers and land managers (including from the private, public and charity sectors) in the North Wessex Downs National Landscape or where activity on the ground can bring benefit to the National Landscape. Other organisations and individuals can apply as long as they do this in collaboration with a farmer or land manager, or in support of a farmer or group of farmers.

You can see the boundary of the National Landscape (designated AONB) by visiting the MAGIC mapping website. Click on ‘designations’, ‘land-based designations’ and then ‘Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty England.’

We also run events for farmers – keep an eye on this page for details.

Interactive Map with boundary

View the boundary on our Interactive Map

Explore the boundary of the North Wessex Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Explore

The programme will run from July 2021 to March 2026 and will be delivered by farmers and land managers in partnership with the North Wessex Downs National Landscape on farmed or managed land. Funding will support groups and individuals proposing projects and approved by the FiPL Officer or Local Assessment Panel.

FiPL in the North Wessex Downs 2022-26

DEFRA has now confirmed an additional one-year extension to the Programme to March 2026.

Of each allocation a proportion may be spent on Admin, and Advice and Guidance.

  • Our overall allocation for FY 22/23 was: £691,979
  • Our overall allocation for FY 23/24 was: £1,029,835
  • Our overall allocation for FY 24/25 was: £1,354,098
  • Our overall allocation for FY 25/26 is :   £1,029,835

Before you apply:

  1. Review the information on this page, in the Guidance to Applicants document (see Downloads below), and to help generate more ideas and build better projects watch the webinar below and read the supplementary information.
  2. Contact the Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer (email Jemima Sellwood) for advice on the programme including to discuss your ideas, the payment rates and intervention rates for your project.
  3. OR submit an Enquiry Form (see Downloads below) to the FiPL Officer.

How you apply

FiPL staff will send you an application form for you to complete and return to the FiPL Officer.

Once you have applied

You should expect to hear back from your FiPL team within 10 working days of your application being submitted.

Farming in Protected Landscapes - More Information

Sheep

What will the programme
pay for?

Misty dawn from Adams Grave nr Wilcot Vale of Pewsey, Dave Gray 2010

Assessment & Rates

Barley, Ann Shepley

See what we've funded so far

Downloads

Landscape Specific Guidance for Applicants

Detailed guidance for applicants, relating to North Wessex Downs priorities

NWD-FiPL-Guidance-for-Applicants.pdf

Enquiry Form

Form to submit to FiPL@northwessexdowns.org.uk to express interest

FiPL-enquiry-form- April 2025.pdf

DEFRA Guidance to Applicants - FiPL

Guidance for applicants to Farming in Protected Landscapes produced by DEFRA.

DEFRA-Guidance-to-Applicants-FiPL-April 2025.pdf

Further Enquiries

For all enquiries contact our Farming in Protected Landscapes Officer at Jemima Sellwood

GET IN TOUCH
image credits: Mowing haylage towards Ladle Hill & Watership Down, Lord Carnarvon; Misty dawn from Adams Grave, Dave Gray; Barley, Ann Shepley