Applications open for grants to help protect woodland

Grants are available to help farmers and landowners protect their land.
Mike Dyke, H&H Land and Propertys environment and woodland advisor.Mike Dyke, H&H Land and Propertys environment and woodland advisor.
Mike Dyke, H&H Land and Propertys environment and woodland advisor.

Applications are now being taken for the Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant.

Farmers and landowners can apply for up to £6,800 of capital works funding per hectare, to include tree protection item, deer fencing, wall-top-wiring, the trees, and for the first time, up to 40 per cent of infrastructure costs.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mike Dyke, H&H Land and Property’s environment and woodland advisor, is encouraging farmers and landowners to develop their applications to maximise the potential for grant approval.

Mike, who specialises in woodland advice and grant applications, said: “This is a very welcome grant that covers the cost of establishing the woodland, as well as now making significant contributions to some of the infrastructure costs.

“However, it is a competitive process and the application can be complicated so it is imperative that you have a strong and robust application that fits with the priorities of the scheme and can stand up to scrutiny.

“My advice to any farmer or landowner looking to create woodland of any size is that it is paramount that they look at the opportunities afforded by this grant as soon as possible.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Woodland Creation Grant is a standalone capital grant under Countryside Stewardship and is designed to facilitate and encourage the planting of woodland that will improve biodiversity and help to reduce the risk of flooding or diffuse pollution.

Applications must be submitted before February 16.

Application forms for the 2018 schemes are now available online.

Another option for farmers and landowners is the Woodland Carbon Fund (WCF), which has been designed to encourage large-scale woodland planting to facilitate the achievement of nationwide carbon reduction Governmental targets.

The WCF offers payments of up to £6,800/ha of proposed woodlands that follow the scheme’s specifications.