FC and DEFRA Grants

Forestry Commission Grants

English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS)

The EWGS is operated by the Forestry Commission to develop the coordinated delivery of public benefits from England’s woodland. It has two overarching objectives:

• To sustain and increase the public benefits from existing woodlands in England
• To invest in the creation of new woodland in England of a size, type and location that most effectively deliver public benefits

The grants available under EWGS are expected to encourage applications which will contribute to one or more key targets (increase the area of woodland under certified sustainable management and approved management schemes, expand the area of woodland with public access, bring woodland SSSIs into favourable condition, help deliver Habitat Action Plan targets for native woods, improve the environment of urban communities, and create new woodland).

There are 6 grant types which are described briefly below.  Full details can be obtained from the Forestry Commission or contact The Forestry Commission, Wheldrake Lane, Crockey Hill, York, YO19 4FF. Telephone (01904) 448778

Woodland Creation Grant

This grant encourages the creation of new woodlands where they will deliver the greatest public benefits, including the annual Farm Woodland Payment (see below) to compensate for agricultural income foregone.

Standard grant rates are £1800/ha for broadleaves and £1200/ha for conifers and support either planting, or establishment by natural colonisation. 

A rate of £700/ha for ‘special broadleaves’ (appropriate species grown at wide spacing) may also be available. 

An additional contribution of £500/ha may be available where new woods will provide defined public access benefits.

Grants are paid in two installments (80% after the initial work and 20% after 5 years).

In general woods will need to be more than 0.25 hectares and greater than 30 metres wide to qualify.  Applications will need to be designed to meet one of the 5 woodland categories (Standard, Small Standard, Native, Community, Special Broadleaved).  Applications will need to meet the EWGS regional scoring criteria and to be within the grant application deadlines in force at the time.

Woodland Regeneration Grant

This grant supports desirable change in woodland composition through natural regeneration and restocking after felling.  Grant rates vary depending upon the public benefits of change proposed.  For example, restocking plantation on ancient woodland sites with native woodland species may attract £1760/ha, whereas replanting the same site with conifers would receive no grant support.  Further details on other options and eligibility requirement are available from the Forestry Commission

Woodland Planning Grant

This grant contributes to the cost of producing management plans for existing woods which meet the planning requirements of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.  The aims are to support owners seeking woodland certification, to help owners identify opportunities to manage woodland more efficiently and sustainably, to sustain and secure public benefits from woodlands, and also to help access other sources of funding such as England Rural Development Programme grants.  Grant rates are £300 for woods of 3-30ha, with additional £10/ha up to 100ha, and additional £5/ha for woods larger than this.

Woodland Improvement Grant

This grant funds capital investment in woodland over an agreed period of time to increase the quality and quantity of public benefits delivered.  Three funds will target improvements in access, SSSI condition and woodland biodiversity.  Rates of grant will be in the range 50-80% of agreed costs but how these will be applied will depend upon the fund and regional priorities.

Woodland Management Grant

This grant will contribute towards additional costs of providing and sustaining higher quality public benefits from existing woodlands.  It will encourage and support basic management activities that promote woodland sustainability and, for eligible areas, is paid at the rate of £30/ha, subject to funding limits.

Woodland Assessment Grant

This grant will contribute to the standard costs associated with undertaking specific assessments where further information is required before decisions can be made about work in woodland.  The aim is to improve sustainable management of woodland by ensuring that management decisions are based on good knowledge of needs and sensitivities.  Normally the Forestry Commission will point out where improved knowledge is needed and they will invite an applicant to apply for this grant.  Rates of grant vary depending whether an ecological, landscape, historic and cultural, or stakeholder interest assessment is required but all have a minimum £300 payment.

DEFRA Grants

Farm Woodland Payments

This grant is an annual payment made by DEFRA and is in addition to the EWGS Woodland Creation Grant.  Application is made to Forestry Commission at the same time as applying for EWGS.  Farm Woodland Payments are intended to support new woodland establishment which enhances the environment where land is taken out of agricultural production  The grant payments are made for 15 years where the wood is 50% or more broadleaves and for 10 years where less than 50% broadleaves.  Rates in £/ha/year are as follows:

Single Payment Scheme

Woodland is not normally eligible for SPS.  There may be exceptions where trees and agriculture are combined on the same parcel of land, such as grazed woodland or wood pasture.

Environmental Stewardship

Woodland may be eligible for Entry Level Stewardship and can contribute to your points target.  Whether it is worthwhile to include woodland will depend on the proportion of woodland on a holding and the features elsewhere on the holding.  Where work is supported under one of the EWGS grants (eg woodland boundary maintenance) it will not qualify where chosen under an option in ELS too.

Some woodland work may be supported under Higher Level Stewardship but the maximum size for any new planting is 1 ha and the total area on any one holding must not exceed 3 ha.  For holdings which qualify for HLS there may be support for capital works associated with woodland creation, restoration and maintenance.

Contact: Rural Development Service, Government Buildings, Otley Road, Lawnswood, Leeds, LS16 5QT.  Telephone 0113 230 3750