The cutback will mean that no new environmental schemes funded by public money, such as tree planting, can start in 2010. However, funding for schemes already started will be honoured.
The Countryside Renewal Scheme came into effect in 2005 as a response to the general wish for an environmental scheme to fund countryside and farming projects. Its lands manager, Jon Horn, said that it was a matter of principle. ‘The money was raised as a tax for environmental purposes.
‘We understand why the States want to save money, but this is a fabulous scheme which gives funds to landowners so that they can better manage the countryside. We don’t want to see it disappear.’
The assistant director of the environment and rural economy at Howard Davis Farm, Dan Houseago, said that he wanted to see the long-term continuance of the Countryside Renewal Scheme and had taken the decision to cut the budget with regret, in view of demands that all States departments should make savings.
Dan Houseago, assistant director of the environment and rural economy at Howard Davis Farm, said that they had taken the decision to cut the budget with regret
