Provides financial support for creating larger areas of woodland.
Contents
Introduction
This grant provides financial support for creating larger areas of woodland or small areas not suitable for the Small Grants - Woodland Creation Scheme.
Dates for the next windows for applications are available at Rural schemes: application dates.
Who can apply
Farmers, land managers and other landowners can apply for the scheme. Applicants must have a verified Woodland Creation Plan before applying. Funding is available to create a plan through the Woodland Creation Planning Scheme.
The minimum area of land for an application is 0.25ha. There is no maximum area.
What the scheme offers
The scheme provides funding for the planting of trees and the installation of fencing and gates.
It also offers 12 years of maintenance and premium payments (compensation for loss of agricultural income).
Planting trees under the scheme will not affect Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments or land eligibility.
Payment rates
Successful applicants will be paid for each hectare of trees they plant. Payment amounts depend on the type of planting and the numbers of trees planted in each hectare of land:
| Category | Trees per hectare | Payment per hectare |
|---|---|---|
| Native biodiversity | 1,100 | £3,302 |
| Native biodiversity | 1,600 | £4,550 |
| Enhanced mixture | 2,500 | £5,146 |
| Native carbon | 2,500 | £6,170 |
| Lowland agroforestry (scattered trees) | 50 | £2,000 |
| Upland agroforestry (scattered trees) | 80 | £2,500 |
| Fruit and nut | 800 | £4,000 |
The scheme also pays for fencing and gates to be installed around tree planting areas. The payment rates are:
- fencing – £8.32 per metre
- deer fencing (from window 3) - £11.93 per metre
- standard gate (metal) - £221 each
- standard gate (softwood) - £291.75 each
- standard gate (hardwood) - £669.41 each
- timber bridle gate and posts - £220.83 each
- timber kissing gate and posts - £237.80 each
The scheme provides annual maintenance payments per hectare to look after the trees over a 12 year period as below. The maintenance rate per hectare for year 1 is £400, year 2 is £300 and year 3 is £250. The rate per year from year 4 to year 12 is £70.
To compensate for the loss of agricultural income on the land that trees are planted on, the scheme also provides annual premium payments of £350 per hectare (this is not available for Agroforestry schemes).
A maintenance payment for the lowland and upland (scattered trees) agroforestry categories is for 12 years (£70/ha/year) and is not available on publicly owned land. Premium payments are not available for these two options because they will remain in agricultural production.
How to apply
There will be a number of application windows throughout the year. Before applying, applicants must first have a woodland creation plan through the Woodland Creation Planning Scheme.
To apply for the scheme, submit an Expression of Interest on Rural Payments Wales (RPW) Online. Technical advice is available from Farming Connect and from the NRW woodland Creation Hub
More Information on:
- how to apply,
- technical guidance
- scheme rules
- terms and conditions
- how to complete guides
are available at Woodland Creation Grant.
Further information
For further advice on policies and grants phone the Farm Liaison Service - Farm Liaison Service.