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:
www.gov.wales/small-grants-woodland-creation
www.gov.wales/woodland-creation-grant
