Natural Capital Advisory, representing the Swaledale and Wensleydale Environmental Farmers (SWEF), is proud to announce that SWEF’s development grant application to the Rural Payments Agency’s Water Restoration Fund was approved in April 2025. The grant marks a major milestone for SWEF’s work to support farmer-led nature restoration and water management across the Yorkshire Dales.
The Water Restoration Fund redirects fines and penalties from water companies into projects that improve the health of England’s rivers, lakes, and streams. SWEF’s successful application brings together a strong network of project partners, including NCA, the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust (GWCT), Lancaster University, OUSEWEM and the Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust.
The SWEF Water Restoration Project will engage farmers across Swaledale and Wensleydale to co-design and implement natural flood management interventions that improve water quality, mitigate flood risk and low flows, and enhance biodiversity. Running from April 2025 to March 2026, the project will lay the groundwork for SWEF’s long-term Conservation Plan.
Key outputs of the project include:
- Demonstration Tests: Testing natural interventions, such as ponds, wetlands, and soil management techniques, at selected sites to measure their effectiveness, with oversight from Dr Nick Chappell and Lancaster University.
- Water Management Plan: Developing a coordinated, catchment-wide strategy for integrated water management based on demonstration findings.
- Nature Recovery Plan: Mapping existing stewardship and conservation activity across SWEF and aligning it with Environmental Improvement Plan (EIP) 2023 targets to guide habitat and species recovery.
- Community Engagement: Working with Yorkshire Dales Rivers Trust to foster stronger connections between local community and the natural environment, promoting understanding of sustainable farming and land management practices.
NCA will support project oversight and advise on green finance opportunities to strengthen the project’s long-term impact and sustainability.
This collaborative project reflects the strength of farmer networks and expert partnerships in delivering practical, on-the-ground solutions to climate resilience and nature recovery across the Yorkshire Dales.