DEFRA launched its new environmental stewardship scheme yesterday.

The three-part scheme is designed to allow all farmers to earn money for looking after, and enhancing, features on their land.

They will be able to receive payment for looking after hedgerows; providing habitats for birds and small mammals, and for creating wildflower plots for bees and other beneficial insects on arable set-aside.

Payment will also be made for protecting ponds from pesticides and fertilisers; for encouraging amphibious creatures and for a wide range of other environmental measures.

The aim is to reduce the decline in wild bird populations, increase all other forms of wildlife on farms, and cut pollution.

Together with the Single Farm Payment scheme, Defra says the start of environmental stewardship marks a watershed in the way England is farmed.

There are three categories.

* Entry level stewardship: a whole-farm scheme open to all who farm their land conventionally.

Farmers have to develop a farm plan which scores 30 points a hectare to attract an annual £30/ha payment. They can choose from a menu of 50 management options to score the necessary points.

Less Favoured Area land will attract £8/ha/year and will require only eight points/ha.

There are quarterly dates for joining the scheme and agreements last five years. Payments will be automatic every six months and equivalent to half the annual payment.

l Organic entry level stewardship: a whole-farm scheme open to farmers who manage all or part of their land organically and who do not receive aid under the organic aid or organic farming schemes.

The payment will be £60/ha/year for all organic land entered, in return for 60 points' worth of management options per hectare. Half the points will automatically be earned for being organic; the rest will come chosen management options.

Organic land in parcels of 15ha or more within the LFA is not eligible and must be put into the ELS, which will pay £8/ha/year.

*Higher level stewardship: this is combined with ELS or OELS options and aims to deliver significant environmental benefits in high priority situations and areas. It is more complex, with agreements tailored to meet individual situations and payments depending on the options chosen.

Robert Campbell, whose 460ha Oneholmes Farm at Stokesley has always been farmed with nature conservation in mind, welcomed the schemes as recognition that the landscape had been created and maintained by farmers.

"For the first time, the care and maintenance work carried out by many farmers is being recognised and rewarded," said Mr Campbell, whose farm is a Linking Environment and Farming demonstration farm.

He hoped large numbers of farmers would join the schemes.

"The original agricultural support system was set up in 1947 to meet the consumers' demand for food. Farmers met that challenge at some cost to the environment," he said. "The new system is designed to meet new consumer demands for environmental benefit and I am sure farmers will also rise to this challenge, while continuing to meet market demands for food and other agricultural products."

Mr Campbell attended the Yorkshire launch at Rudding Park, Harrogate.

Sir Don Curry, chairman of the Government's Sustainable Farming and Food Implementation Group and a Northumberland farmer, was due to attend a North-East launch at Newcastle Falcons RUFC today.

Dozens of meetings will be held to tell farmers about the schemes.