Conservation grants provide the opportunity for income generation. Each country in the UK has interpreted and implemented European legalisation differently.

England

Environmental Stewardship – Is administered by Natural England.

The primary objectives of Environmental Stewardship are to:

• conserve wildlife (biodiversity)
• maintain and enhance landscape quality and character
• protect the historic environment and natural resources
• promote public access and understanding of the countryside
• protect natural resources.

Elements to Environmental Stewardship :

• Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) provides a straightforward approach to supporting the good stewardship of the countryside. This is done through simple and effective land management that goes beyond the Single Payment Scheme requirement to maintain land in good agricultural and environmental condition. It is open to all farmers and landowners. ELS is a point-based scheme that gives farmers a number of options for managing their land in an environmentally-sensitive way.
   
• Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) builds on ELS and  involves more complex types of management, where land managers need advice and support, and agreements are tailored to local circumstances. HLS applications will be assessed against specific local targets and agreements will be offered where they meet these targets and represent good value for money. HLS continues to be a competitive scheme and each HLS application will be assessed on its merits. Applications that demonstrate good environmental management for target area or theme features are the most likely to be successful.

Wales

The Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007-20013 is administered by the Welsh Assembly Government. Farmers have been encouraged to manage their land in an environmentally sensitive way through the Tir Cynnal and Tir Gofal schemes. These schemes are now closed to new applications. The All Wales Glastir Sustainable Land Management Scheme  will replace Tir Gofal and Tir Cynnal and provide an incentive to encourage more farms to participate. Glastir will not be open to applications until 2010.

Scotland

Scottish Rural Development Programme SRDP is administered by the Scottish Government. It is a £1.6 billion programme of economic, environmental and social measures designed to develop rural Scotland. Individuals and groups may seek support to help deliver the Government's strategic objectives in rural Scotland.
Rural Development Contracts - Rural Priorities (RDC - RP) is the integrated funding mechanism which will deliver targeted environmental, social and economic benefits. Regional priorities have been established to aid the delivery of the five key outcomes of the SRDP:

• business viability and competitiveness
• water quality
• adaptations to mitigate climate change
• biodiversity and landscapes
• thriving rural communities

A 2-stage application process has been developed. The initial stage ends with the submission of a simple Statement of Intent. It is based on an amber or red rating. In the second stage applicants can decide whether or not to prepare a detailed Proposal, plus an Outcome Plan setting out how they would contribute to one or more 'regional priorities'.

Northern Ireland

The Northern Ireland Rural Development Programme 2007-13 is administered by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Northern Ireland. The Northern Ireland Countryside Management Scheme (NICMS) opened in 2008. It is a voluntary Scheme, providing financial encouragement to enhance the environment. NICMS aims to:

• improve biodiversity
• improve water quality
• mitigate climate change
• improve soil quality
• avoid marginalisation and land abandonment.