Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT)

Overview

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) is Defra's scheme for more complex, site-specific environmental work on farms and other land in England. It pays you to manage land in ways that protect, restore or enhance the environment and help with climate change, and it can cover farmed land, woodland, land managed for nature, or a mix. Agreements are built from land management 'actions'. The applicant's guide lists 99 base actions and 33 supplemental actions, and you can add capital items to help deliver the outcomes. Typical work includes managing woodland and agroforestry, creating or restoring wetlands, grassland, moorland, peat and coastal habitats, restoring ponds and rivers, reducing flood risk, helping specific species recover, providing permissive public access and protecting historic features. Agreements last 5, 10, 15 or 20 years depending on the actions chosen. Payment rates are set per action rather than as a single grant amount. How you get in depends on what you want to do. For four topics you can now submit an expression of interest without waiting to be invited: agroforestry, woodland improvement, species-rich grassland and scheduled monument management (the last two as 'single-focus' agreements). Woodland and agroforestry applicants need an approved plan from the Forestry Commission first. For wider agri-environment agreements with several actions, you need an invitation from Natural England for pre-application advice before you can apply. The Defra Farming blog (22 September 2026) confirms CSHT remains open to new applicants. GOV.UK does not give a closing date. An expression of interest does not guarantee an agreement. Who it suits: farms with important habitats, protected sites, commons, woodland or historic features that need tailored, long-term management. If you already have an Environmental Stewardship agreement, check how it overlaps before applying. Official source: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht/csht-applicants-guide. Last checked by GrantMatch on 14 October 2026.