Navigating forestry grants: Does money grow on trees?

A range of woodland creation, forestry management and carbon grants, and a favourable tax regime exist to encourage continued development of Britain’s forest and woodland resource.

But, navigating the grants system for woodland creation and management on your farm can be difficult.

Tilhill has been in the forest management industry for almost 75 years, with a network of offices across the UK.

We are skilled at planting the right trees in the right place and can help you navigate these grants.

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Grants for creation of new woodland in England

The Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)

The WCPG is an optional two-stage discovery grant which pays up to £30,000 to ascertain the likelihood of planting a site.

Typically, it is used on large or more complex sites that have the potential to cause detriment if planned and planted incorrectly.

• Stage 1: pays £1,000 to undertake a desk-based analysis intended to identify constrains and begin communication with relevant stakeholders, culminating in a thorough understanding of the site’s sensitivities and opportunities as well as survey requirement.
• Stage 2: pays £150/ha +70% of survey costs and looks to gather the required information which will be presented to stakeholders to begin to shape a woodland design.

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

The EWCO is currently the mainstream woodland creation grant covering England it its entirety.

It took over from Countryside Stewardship WCPG in the June of 2021.

EWCO consists of three payment threads:

• Standard Cost Items: assigns a monetary amount per planted unit with the intention to cover the cost of planting the woodland. Up to a maximum of £8,500 per hectare.
• Additional Contributions: assigns a monetary payment related to provision of environmental, biodiversity and social benefit. Up to a maximum of £8,000 per hectare.
• Maintenance: pays £300 per hectare per annum intended to cover the costs of looking after your newly planted woodland. Generally covering tasks such as weeding, maintaining tree protection shelters and replacing failed trees.

Trees for Climate (TfC)

TfC funding is geographically restricted to the various Community Forestry areas within England.

• Whilst no actual costing information is freely available as with alternative grants, the TfC offer does promise to at least match EWCO. TfC funding is available to cover the cost of scoping, planning and planting a woodland creation project as well as cover survey costs.

Grants for existing woodland in England

The Woodland Management Planning Grant (WMPG)

The WMPG is intended to contribute towards the production of a Forestry Commission (FC) approved, UK Forestry Standard compliant management plan.

The FC-approved WMPG includes a 10-year felling licence, a 10-year work program and an accompanying report identifying the key considerations and objectives relating to the woodland and the work to be carried out. The WMPG is a one-off payment of:

• For woodland between 3 – 30ha: £1,000
• For woodland between 51 – 100ha: £1,000 + £20/ha
• For woodland over 100ha: £2,000 + £10/ha

Countryside Stewardship: Woodland Tree Health Grant

Woodland Tree Health grants are paid to restore and improve existing woodlands.

Generally, grants are available for restocking after tree health issues and for felling infected trees and controlling invasive/non-native Rhododendron.

• The Woodland Tree Health Restoration Grant: pays between £1,750 and £3,500 per hectare to restock after felling due to tree health issues such as infected ash or larch trees. The amount received depends on the nature of the site and the restock species.
• The Woodland Tree Health Improvement Grant: pays between £260 and £1,680 per hectare to fell infected trees and between £2,800 and £4,400 per hectare to control Rhododendron.

Countryside Stewardship, Woodland Improvement Grant

The Woodland Improvement Grant is paid to bring woodland into or keep woodland under active management with the purpose of improving both resilience and biodiversity.

• Payments consist of £100 per hectare per annum, agreements are generally five years in length and fall under the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement. There are also additional options available relating to funding of capital items.

Ready to start navigating?

For more information on grants in England, Wales or Scotland or if you would like a local Tilhill Forest Manager to apply for grants on your behalf, please contact: enquiries@tilhill.com