The agri-environment schemes, which will be given nearly £3billion over the next five years, have seen an increase in access to the countryside, more wildlife and biodiversity, and greater maintenance of essential features of the British countryside such as stone walls and hedgerows.

Northamptonshire has over 732 agreements, covering approximately 49,000 hectares in agri-environment schemes. Examples of projects achieved in Northamptonshire in the last year are:

* 9 bridleways

* 4 farms offering educational access visits

* 22 footpaths (and 1 route designed for less mobile users)

* 47 hedgerows

* 74 sites of regeneration of grassland

Hilary Benn, Secretary of State for the Environment said: "Over the last 21 years, farmers in Northamptonshire have been managing the land to enhance the beauty of the English landscape and conserve and protect our much-loved native wildlife.

"The English countryside doesn't look the way it does by accident, and all of us benefit from the footpaths, bridleways, orchard planting and hedgerow restoring which farmers carry out on our behalf through agri-environment schemes.

"Farmers deserve recognition and our thanks for what they have achieved. Over the next five years, the Government will invest almost £3billion in these schemes. We are absolutely committed to seeing this great work continue."