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Planting trees for nature-friendly farming
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Farmers play a vital role in managing our British countryside — and as custodians of the land, most want to leave it in good shape for the next generation. That means not just productive fields, but trees, hedgerows, and a countryside that’s rich in wildlife.
Trees are one of the best land management tools we have. They shelter crops and livestock, provide new income streams, lock up carbon, reduce pollution and flooding, and support people, wildlife and farming in adapting to climate change.
At the Woodland Trust we know there’s no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to tree planting. With our MOREwoods scheme you get the tailored advice and guidance you need to achieve your goals. Where 500+ trees are planted on at least half a hectare we will visit your site, help design your woodland, create a bespoke species mix, supply the agreed trees and tree protection, and cover up to 75% of costs.
© Adam Burton/WTML Committed to leaving his land in a better state for the future, one Lincolnshire farmer turned to trees.
At Barff Farm, north Lincolnshire, Robert Moore grows wheat, barley and oilseed rape, and grazes cattle and sheep over 880 acres.
In a bid to leave the land in a better state for the environment and wildlife than when he took it on in 1988, he is always looking for ways to balance profitability with sustainability in his approach to farming.
Planting trees is key to achieving his long-term goals.
Robert Moore © Philip Formby/WTML
Restoring the landscape
To reduce the impact of the business on nature, Robert already runs an agricultural plastic recycling plant, generates electricity with solar panels and uses a treatment system to reduce water usage by 80%.
He then set his sights on enhancing the immediate environment and encouraging more wildlife on farm.
Trees were the answer and when Robert learned of MOREwoods and MOREhedges, the Woodland Trust’s generous funding schemes for farmers to plant woodland and hedging, he was keen to forge ahead.
© Philip Formby/WTML
“When we came here this was a highly productive arable farm,” Robert explains.
“In the late seventies it had all the woods and the trees ripped out and all the hedges, so the last couple of years we’ve decided that we need to get hedges in, we need to get trees in, we need to get woods in, to get it back to where we think it should be for a sustainable future for farming.”
“A neighbour put some trees in last year and he recommended the MOREwoods scheme, saying it was very easy to talk to the Trust team.
“So we contacted them in the spring and found them very helpful on what sort of trees to put in.”
Balancing tree planting with production
Robert worked with an expert adviser from the Trust to identify less productive areas of land that might be suitable for trees and to design a planting plan that would achieve his goals.
Together they decided on a substantial woodland, measuring 100m by 600m and split into three segments.
They chose an area poor for farming, alongside a dyke where it would avoid creating too much shade over the more productive land.
Adding shelter to the dyke would also boost its appeal for wildlife including birds, mammals and beneficial pollinating insects.
With kingfishers already visiting the watercourse, Robert hoped the improved habitat would encourage more species.
© James Reader/WTML
Hedgerows were also planned to connect features in the landscape and create important corridors for wildlife to move around easily, including one between the new woodland and a reservoir on-site.
Robert went on to plant one kilometre of hedgerow and five hectares of woodland in early 2021 through Woodland Trust schemes.
The MOREwoods initiative provided a 60% subsidy for the 8,000-tree woodland, with Robert choosing to use Woodland Trust contractors for planting.
The MOREhedges scheme granted a 75% subsidy to plant the new hedgerows, for which Robert arranged his own contractor.
A bright future
Such large-scale habitat creation will become a haven for wildlife as it matures, as well as improving the visual impact of the land, capturing carbon and making good use of less profitable areas of the farm.
And Robert isn’t finished yet, with plans to plant even more.
“We’re enhancing the farm for future generations,” Robert continues.
“Yes, it’s going to take a while to do it but the plan is to leave this farm better when we finish with it than when we received it.
“That’s not to say it wasn’t right when we got it, but times have changed, so we’re trying to get ahead of the curve.”
The planting project was easy from start to finish he says, and the Trust was ‘very helpful’ in organising everything from advice and tree delivery to a contractor to plant the trees.
They even managed the Environmental Impact Assessment process needed due to the size of the new wood.
“The application we found was very simple and straightforward and that’s what we like,” he concludes.
Reap the benefits on your farm
Trees should be in every farmer’s toolbox. They help boost productivity, resilience and the health of the environment – with no need for trade off with food production. The benefits don’t end there.
Robert’s wood has become a great destination for people as well as wildlife, with the natural planting design of wavy lines and a track for easy access making it a pleasant place to spend time.
© John Bridges/WTML
With generous funding from Lloyds Bank, the Trust offers expert advice and funding to make your planting project a success.
For anyone planting over half a hectare of woodland, the MOREwoods scheme is ideal.
Alternatively, plant hedgerows longer than 100m with MOREhedges. The Trust offers a mix of species ideal for hedges, plus your choice of full-height trees every 6m, funding and tree protection.
Robert is one of thousands of landowners that has planted through the schemes, with a combined 4,000 hectares of woodland and almost 600km of hedgerow in the ground since 2009.
That’s millions more trees creating a brighter, healthier future for businesses, communities and nature.
Start planting with subsidised schemes
From protecting crops and livestock with a shelterbelt to harvesting your own wood fuel, Trust experts will provide tailored advice on the best species and methods to reach your goals.
They will visit your site, help design your woodland, create a bespoke species mix and arrange tree delivery and protection – all with funding of up to 75%.
© Paul Glendell/WTML
Applications are now open for the November 2024 to March 2025 planting season.
Find out more on the Woodland Trust website.
MOREwoods is funded by Lloyds Bank to support sustainable farming.
The Woodland Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales (No. 294344) and in Scotland (No. SC038885). A non-profit-making company limited by guarantee. Registered in England No. 1982873. The Woodland Trust logo is a registered trademark.