Reap the rewards of hassle-free tree planting scheme

Severn Trent, has launched a programme to fully fund and manage tree planting for farmers and landowners across the region, offering an annual premium payment of £200/ha for the first 10 years, for sites over 8ha in size.

The scheme will cover all aspects of planning, planting, management, and 35 years of maintenance, explains Ricky Dallow, Severn Trent commonwealth forest delivery manager.

“We’ll also take on all the carbon code paperwork, which covers the registration, validation and verification of the woodland for the full 35 years, when normally a landowner would need to employ an agent to do this,” he says.

Severn Trent will also set each site up with a Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) baseline assessment, which will help landowners attain biodiversity credits, from the local planning authority or property developers, as laid out in the Environment Bill.

These credits could be worth approximately £24,710/ha of new woodland created, for 30 years (subject to purchaser’s requirements).

Mr Dallow explains that this scheme is part of Severn Trent’s partnership with Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

As Official Nature and Carbon Neural Supporter, Severn Trent is supporting Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in its pledge to leave a carbon-neutral legacy, which includes the creation of 2,022 acres of native forest across the region.

He adds that after the 35-year period, which is the estimated timescale for offsetting the Games, landowners will have the ability to keep or sell the residual carbon credits, making the offering an ideal, hassle and cost-free investment for those looking to leave a legacy for their successors.

“The carbon credits from woodland planted as part of this project have the potential to be worth £15,434/ha after the 35-year period (based on current BEIS values),” says Mr Dallow. Severn Trent is also open to working with landowners to develop a more flexible tree planting plan.

“For instance, we can price match labour costs, if landowners have in-house staff, or we can consider alternative planting techniques, such as agroforestry, if on a large enough scale,” he concludes.

The above income streams exclude any potential income for any future Environmental Land Management (ELM) payment for woodland management.

Each proposed site has different tree growing potential and biodiversity gain potential, and the success of these green spaces will rely on the right trees being planted in the right place, but above should provide an indicator of potential income.

For further information, or to sign up, please visit: www.stwater.co.uk/legacy-forests