Editing Environmentally sensitive area

{{More citations needed|date=October 2023}}

An '''environmentally sensitive area''' ('''ESA''') is a type of designation for an [[agricultural]] area which needs special protection because of its [[landscape]], [[wildlife]] or historical value.<ref>{{Cite web |last=England |first=Natural |date=2022-09-27 |title=Environmentally Sensitive Areas (England) |url=https://www.data.gov.uk/dataset/a5b0ccc4-a144-4027-91fa-49084ff07da2/environmentally-sensitive-areas-england |access-date=2023-10-10 |website=www.data.gov.uk |language=en}}</ref> The scheme was introduced in 1987.  Originally it was administered by [[Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (United Kingdom)|Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food]], then the [[Rural Development Service]] for the [[United Kingdom]] [[Government]]s [[Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs]], and currently [[Natural England]] following successive re-organisation of the departments. In 2005 the scheme was superseded by [[Environmental Stewardship]] and closed to new entrants. Existing agreements remain active until they expire, meaning the designation will remain active until 2014.

Farmers entered into a 10-year contract with the government and received an annual payment for the area that is part of the scheme. Farmers were expected to adopt [[environmentally friendly]] agricultural practices.

There are 22 ESAs in England:
*[[River Avon, Hampshire|Avon]] Valley
*[[Blackdown Hills National Landscape|Blackdown Hills]]
*[[Breckland]]
*[[Norfolk Broads|Broads]]
*[[River Clun, Shropshire|River Clun]]
*[[Cotswolds|Cotswold]] Hills
*[[Dartmoor]]
*[[Essex, England|Essex]] Coast
*[[Exmoor]]
*[[Lake District]]
*[[North Kent Marshes]]
*North [[Peak District|Peak]]
*[[Pinnines|Pennine]] [[Yorkshire Dales|Dales]]
*[[Shropshire Hills]]
*[[Somerset Levels|Somerset Levels and Moors]]
*[[South Downs]]
*South [[Wessex]] Downs
*South West [[Peak District|Peak]]
*[[Suffolk]] River Valleys
*[[River Test|Test]] Valley
*Upper [[River Thames|Thames]] Tributaries
*[[West Penwith]]

There are 10 ESAs in Scotland
*[[Breadalbane, Scotland|Breadalbane]]
*[[Loch Lomond]]
*[[Machair]] ([[Western Isles]])
*[[Stewartry]]
*Central Borders (inc Whitlaw Eildon)
*Central Uplands
*Western Uplands
*[[Cairngorms|Cairngorm]] Straths
*[[Shetland|Shetland Islands]]
*[[Argyll and Bute|Argyll Islands]]

==See also==
*[[Countryside Stewardship Scheme]]
*[[Environmental stewardship]]
*[[Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty]] (AONB)
*[[Site of Special Scientific Interest]] (SSSI)
*[[Special Area of Conservation]] (SAC)
*[[Special protection area]] (SPA)
*[[Nitrate sensitive area]] (NSA)

==References==
<references />

[[Category:Protected areas of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Lists of protected areas of the United Kingdom|Env]]