Landowners and farmers across Wales can apply for enhanced tree planting grants from next week, with a new £825 per hectare incentive payment available for native broadleaf woodland creation.
This additional one-off payment forms part of the Welsh Government's commitment to incentivise early tree planting through enhanced payments over the next three years.
The £825 per hectare incentive sits alongside newly reviewed Woodland Creation Grant rates, which pay up to £13,294 per hectare (including 12yr maintenance and premium payments) depending on the planting option chosen.
Applications for Woodland Creation support will open again on 4 March 2026, giving farmers across Wales a renewed opportunity to bring forward tree planting proposals that work for their businesses. The enhanced payment is available for woodland planting that is predominantly native broadleaf, contains no more than 20% conifers, and delivers a minimum of 800 stems per hectare.
For those joining the Sustainable Farming Scheme, there is a Universal Action to complete a Tree and Hedgerow Planting Opportunity Plan, and to undertake at least 0.1 hectare of planting by the end of 2028. The support available under these tree planting grants are additional payments above the Universal Payment and are available to support tree planting and encourage planting beyond the minimum requirement. Further details of other Optional and Collaborative Actions will be published before the end of March.
The Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs said:
"This is an excellent opportunity for landowners and farmers to explore whether they have land which would benefit from additional tree planting, such as integrating shelterbelts or agroforestry to provide shade and shelter benefits to livestock. The payment recognises the ecosystem benefits delivered by native woodland, including improved biodiversity, carbon capture and air quality.
“This support gives farmers across Wales a renewed opportunity to bring forward tree planting proposals that work for their businesses. The changes introduced for 2026 are designed to make woodland creation simpler, more flexible and better aligned with practical farm realities, while continuing to deliver important environmental benefits for the long term.”
A major improvement for this year is the introduction of new water related capital items, which include infrastructure such as troughs, piping and water gates to support riparian planting. This will enhance biodiversity and help protect watercourses from negative climate change impacts such as increased temperatures. It will also provide a valuable buffer from agricultural operations to improve water quality.
A further change is the increased contract length of the Woodland Creation Grant Scheme to allow up to two years to complete larger scale planting. This approach offers flexibility for those navigating seasonal factors, contractor availability or supply-chain challenges.
For Woodland Creation Scheme information visit:
