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Woodland Creation in the Cotswolds
Woodland Creation in the Cotswolds
Post date
February 2023
Did you know, you can apply for a free audit with the forestry commission to assess the opportunities and constraints of a potential woodland site on your land?
Last week, the AKC team visited a farm in Woodmancote, Cirencester for a farm walk, and discussion on the practicalities of woodland creation and a review of the schemes available to guide and support farmers in planning and managing a new woodland.
The farm, which is circa 1,050 acres is presently within a whole farm Countryside Stewardship Scheme and occupies 46 hectares of predominantly broadleaf deciduous woodland. New woodland creation is currently in consideration, with potential to create a further 27 hectares of woodland, at 12 different sites across the farm.
Current plans include confirming plan preparation and viability of the project through the Woodland Planning Grant, with planting hoping to take place when the current CS scheme ends. This project has potential to sequester approximately 18,764 tons of (tradeable) carbon over 100 years under the Woodland Carbon Code.
After the visit, the AKC team came away with an increased understanding of the grants available and felt that the woodland grants provided farmers a comprehensive package of support, one that is in the process of being made simpler for land managers to apply. This long-term investment has potential to bring several private and public benefits, both to the natural and economic environment, however its permanence can bring understandable hesitation – our view would be if you have un-productive land and would like a system that requires minimum input, then these grants are an opportunity to make the most of it.
If you would like help with understanding or applying for the forestry grants available, get in touch by calling 01380 724687 or email us at info@akcagric.co.uk
Planting woodland can bring a wide range of benefits, including:
- Managing soil and nutrient loss
- Reducing erosion
- Provide a natural form of flood management and improve water quality
- Reduce pollution
- Increase productivity
- Provide shelter
- Additional long-term income from selling carbon units
- Support local health & wellbeing, and improve air quality
Further, woodland creation offers opportunity to generate additional income through the Woodland Carbon Code (WWC). Woodlands registered with the WWC allows land managers to sell carbon units for every tonne of carbon dioxide sequestered, which can take place as early as 5 years after planting.
Firstly, if you have a site in mind for woodland creation, get in touch with the forestry commission to organise a free farm audit. The site visit and desk-based research will provide an insight into the revenue that could be generated through the EWCO and what woodland creation grants are available to reduce costs and ensure project success in the long term.
To organise a farm audit, contact your local woodland creation team - click here for contact details.
Grant Opportunities
The following three grants are useful starting points for receiving financial assistance with planning and managing new woodland creations:
- Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)
- England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
- Woodland Management Planning (WMP) Grant
For a comparison table of all the woodland creation grants available, please click here (Forestry Commission Grant Comparison Table (publishing.service.gov.uk)
Woodland Creation Planning Grant
Available to landowners and managers in England, the WCPG provides financial assistance for preparing plans for the woodland creation application. The grant shall contribute to costs involved with gathering and analysing information which land managers require to ensure new proposals consider the impact on biodiversity, landscape, water, soil, historic environment etc.
To be eligible, your proposed woodland must:
- Be located in England
- Be a minimum of five hectares or more in total size. However, this woodland can be split into different blocks, each with a minimum area of 0.5 hectares, and a minimum width of 20 metres.
This grant is awarded in two stages:
• Stage 1 - A fixed payment of £1000 is awarded to assist with desk-based data research, to identify constraints of the proposed site, and to determine whether the proposal would be eligible for stage 2.
• Stage 2 - Once confirmation that the site is UK Forestry Standard compliant, stage 2 will be awarded to assist with costs in preparing a site appraisal map, a design concept plan and a draft UK Forestry Standard compliant woodland creation design plan.
The amount paid is £150 per gross hectare and will be based on the area of proposed woodland in the final plan. The paid amount is capped at the net planting area, plus 20% (to account for designed open space) minus the £1,000 paid at stage 1. Applications with site proposals of less than 10 hectares, shall receive a minimum payment of £500 for stage 2.
The total payment combined for stage 1 and stage 2 (including any discretionary supplementary payments) is capped at £30,000.
England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
Once you have received your WCPG Stage 2 offer, an application to the EWCO can be made. Applications can be for as little as one hectare.
This grant is available to provide financial support for standard capital items and maintenance of the woodland. This includes payments of up to £10,000 per hectare for standard capital costs of tree planting, and annual payments of £300 per hectare, for 10 years to cover maintenance costs. To be eligible, you must have management control of the land.
Additional contributions will be given to woodlands which bring public benefit and ecosystem services through the design and location of new woodlands.
Additional Contributions available:
- Nature recovery: £1,100 – £2,800 per hectare
- Water quality: £400 per hectare
- Reduced flood risk: £500 per hectare
- Riparian buffers: £1,600 per hectare
- Close to settlements: £500 per hectare
- Access: £2,200 per hectare
To find out more, or to apply, please click here
Countryside Stewardship
Under Countryside Stewardship (CS), the Capital Grants scheme which is open year round, provides 3-year agreements offering capital items to achieve specific environmental benefits in 4 groups:
- Boundaries, trees, and orchards
- Water quality
- Air quality
- Natural flood management
The maximum grant available for any application is £80,000. However, there is a £20,000 limit within each of the 4 groups (boundaries, trees and orchards, water quality, air quality and natural flood management.
As of the 5th of January 2023, DEFRA’s recent review of the scheme has meant capital item rates have increased on average by 48% and are applicable to new applicants and those with agreements that start on or after the 1st of January. Capital items associated with CS Mid-Tier will be announced later in the year.
Land eligible:
- Land already included in a CS or higher-level stewardship agreement
- Land parcels subject to an English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) agreement
- Land parcels included in a CS implementation plan agreement.
Woodland Management Planning (WMP) Grant
As part of Countryside Stewardship, the Woodland Management Plan (WMP) Grant is available to offer one-off payments to assist land managers with creating a 10-year woodland management plan, which is compliant to the UK Forestry Standard.
Please note that the Countryside Stewardship Creation Grant has now closed to new applicants, however if you already have a CS Woodland Creation grant you can continue with the capital works as agreed with the Forestry Commission. Upon completion of the capital works, you will be invited to apply for the Woodland Creation Maintenance agreement.
If you require assistance with the above schemes, contact us on 01380 724687 or email info@akcagric.co.uk
For an overview of the grant schemes available, click here
