Evidence Review of Agri-Environment Schemes' Impact on SSSI Recovery

About

Defra Network eTendering Portal awarded a contract to University of Gloucestershire for an evidence review to assess the impact of agri-environment schemes (AES) on Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) recovery.

The project involved reviewing existing literature to determine evidence of change in SSSI condition across features and AES options, assessing causal relationships between AES and condition changes, understanding owner/manager motivations for managing protected sites, and identifying factors influencing AES success or failure.

The findings were used to draw conclusions on the extent and nature of AES effects on SSSI condition, with evidence gaps identified and recommendations made.

The contract value was £28,750.