Forestry grants

Innovative new grants designed to replace, and improve on, previous Woodland Creation schemes. They are based on the recommendations of the Trees and Timber deep dive. They will provide funding support for woodland creation for farmers and land managers.

Woodland created now will contribute to the proposed Sustainable Farming Scheme. The proposed universal action is for farmers to have at least 10% tree cover on their farm. There will be no disadvantage to farmers by choosing to create woodland ahead of the new scheme.

The indicative budget for the two schemes:

• Woodland Creation Grant, and
• Small Grants – Woodland Creation Scheme

is £14 million for the 2023/24 financial year, and £16 million for 2024/25. The next three windows for Small Grants – Woodland Creation and Woodland Creation Grant will be available on the following dates:

• Window 2 opens Monday 13 February 2023 and closes 24 March 2023. To be able to apply for the Woodland Creation Grant:
  • you must first apply to the Woodland Creation Planning Scheme, and
  • you will need confirmation of a verified plan from NRW by 10 March 2023
• Window 3 opens Monday 22 May 2023 and closes 30 June 2023. To be able to apply for the Woodland Creation Grant, you will need confirmation of a verified plan from NRW by 16 June 2023. 
• Window 4 opens Monday 21 August 2023 and closes 29 September 2023. To be able to apply for the Woodland Creation Grant, you will need confirmation of a verified plan from NRW by 15 September 2023.

We have produced a short booklet - Woodland creation grants: guidance. It outlines the grants available for woodland creation.

Further information is also available at the following links:

Woodland Creation Grant

This scheme offers funding as follows:

• tree planting including a new native biodiversity option planting at 1,100 trees/Ha
• fencing at an increased rate from £3.48/metre to £5.56/metre
• 12 years of maintenance and premium payments
• gates for access and to maintain the tree planting
• no loss of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS)

A Woodland Creation Plan is required in advance. Funding is available through the Woodland Creation Planning Scheme. 

Small Grants – Woodland Creation Scheme

This scheme is for farmers and landowners wishing to plant less than 2 hectares of trees on land which is:

• agriculturally improved, or
• of low environmental value 

Key features include:

• a quicker and easier process to access funding for small areas of tree planting
• an innovative UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant scheme
• no need for a verified woodland creation plan
• funding covers tree planting/fencing/gates for shelterwoods, watercourses, field corners/small fields
• 12 years of maintenance and premium payments
• no loss of Basic Payment Scheme (BPS)

The Woodland Creation Planning Scheme offers financial support for new woodland creation plans. The scheme:

• offers financial support of between £1,000 and £5,000
• enables the use of a registered woodland planner to develop a new woodland plan

The Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) will provide financial support for people to:

• create new woodlands
• enhance and expand existing woodlands

in accordance with the UKFS.

These woodlands must have the potential to become part of the National Forest network in the future.

The Expression of Interest (EOI) window for the 2^nd round of the Woodland Restoration Scheme (WRS) opened on 16 December 2022 and closed on 2 February 2023.

The scheme offers financial support for capital works such as:

• restocking, and
• fencing

You will need to submit:

• a felling licence
• a felling licence application number, or
• a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) containing Larch

with the EOI application.

The NRW Woodland Programme will be assessing all WRS schemes (both PAWS and non PAWS) to ensure compliance with the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS).

For this window, we have updated the mixed woodland categories. They now require a more diverse species mix. The maximum % of a single species has been reduced to 65% for Options W615, W618 and W619. This is important for helping forests develop resilience to future threats such as tree disease. The change is in line with the proposed updated content of the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS). This is due to be published in spring 2023.