Farmers wishing to plant up a new woodland can apply for funding from The Woodland Creation Grant; operating under the umbrella of the Countryside Stewardship scheme.
Funding applications can be submitted from 3 January until 1 March 2017. However, the forms are available now so woodland officers have more time to make a site visit and make any necessary amendments to an application.
To qualify for funding the new planned woodland must meet the following:
- contribute to meeting biodiversity objectives
- reduce flood risk or tackle diffuse water pollution
- be a minimum area per application of 3ha, with a minimum block size of 0.5ha and a minimum width of 20m
- made up of native species, but it can include a proportion of non-native or advancing/honorary species, such as sycamore
Ben Rogerson, a farm business consultant in Strutt & Parker’s Morpeth office, said: “Farmers and other land managers can apply for capital grants to pay for the trees themselves and associated protection products such as guards and fencing. “There is also a supporting maintenance grant of £200/ha available for 10 years.”
