From today, it will be easier for landowners to access
generous grants for creating new woodland, Environment
Minister Thérèse Coffey has announced.
Applications are now being accepted for the latest round of
the Countryside
Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant – a scheme
which provides up to £6,800 per hectare to help farmers,
foresters and landowners tap into the environmental and
financial benefits of tree planting.
In a drive to encourage more projects to come forward and
give applicants longer to prepare, the funding will now be
available twelve months a year – replacing a previously
time-limited application window.
The extension supports the government’s commitment to plant
11 million trees, which will provide habitats for wildlife,
help to prevent flood risk and reduce carbon in our
atmosphere.
Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said:
By planting more trees and creating new woodlands,
landowners in England can help to protect and enhance the
environment now and for future generations.
I look forward to seeing as many applications as possible
come forward in support of our continued drive to grow
woodland cover.
Richard Greenhous, Forestry Commission director of forest
services, said:
By making it easier to apply for generous grant support
we are ensuring that we deliver on the Government’s and
the forestry sector’s ambitions to plant millions more
trees across the country.
We look forward to hearing from applicants who want to
reap the economic, environmental and social benefits of
sustainable woodland creation.
The Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant is a
Defra scheme delivered by the Forestry Commission and is a
capital grant, where applicants can apply for one-off
payments for the trees which will be planted and associated
infrastructure.
The government has made a number of improvements to the
scheme, including streamlining the application process and
improving guidance for landowners looking to capitalise on
the environmental and economic benefits offered.
This scheme forms part of the Government’s ongoing efforts
to grow woodland cover, alongside the publication of our
ambitious 25 Year Environment Plan, funding towards the
creation of a vast Northern Forest from Liverpool to Hull,
and the appointment of a Tree Champion to drive forward
commitments around tree planting and conservation.
