Grants and funding for agroforestry
An overview of grants and funding opportunities for agroforestry.
Correct at 8/12/21
With thanks to Woodland Trust, Abacus Agriculture, Organic Research Centre
Grant group: England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
Time period: Open application
Eligibility: Any block must meet the definition of woodland set out by the National Forest Inventory: a minimum area of 0.5 hectares and a minimum width of 20 metres
Grant type: Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG)
Planting density: 1100 stems/ha
How much will be paid: £1,000 to complete a stage one checklist.
Stage two - £150 per hectare to produce a woodland creation design plan, minus the £1,000 offered at stage one. Also receive a 70% contribution towards any additional, specialist surveys.
BPS [1]: n/a
Notes: The WCPG provides funding to prepare a Woodland Creation Design Plan which is UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant. Landowners, land managers and public bodies can apply to the FC to support the planning of woodland creation.
Grant group: EWCO [2]
Time period: June 21 – ends 2025 [3]; Open application
Eligibility: Min 1 ha & blocks min 0.1ha; All farmers who have control over land
Grant type: Shelter belts min width 10m
Planting density: 1100 stems/ha
How much will be paid: 100% capital costs capped at £8,500/ha
10 yrs maintenance £200/ha
Optional additional one-off payments for public goods i.e. water quality £400
BPS [1]: Yes
Notes: All schemes must meet UKFS. Funded by NfCF.
Target 11,000ha planted by 2024
EWCO can’t be used in same parcel as Countryside Stewardship (CS) option.
Grant group: EWCO
Time period: June 21 – ends 2025 [4]; Open application
Eligibility: Min 1 ha & blocks min 0.1ha; All farmers who have control over land
Grant type: Riparian buffers min width 10m
Planting density: 1100 stems/ha
How much will be paid: 100% capital costs capped at £8,500/ha
10 yrs maintenance £200/ha
Optional additional one-off payments for public goods i.e. Riparian buffers £1,600/ha
BPS [1]: Yes
Notes: All schemes must meet UKFS. Funded by NfCF.
Target 11,000ha planted by 2024
EWCO can’t be used in same parcel as CS option
Grant group: Countryside Stewardship (CS)
Time period: Applications open year round
Eligibility: Only on woodland that is less than 3ha in total where there is already a Forestry Commission (FC) approved management plan and only minor changes are needed to meet the current UKFS.
Produce a detailed 10 year management plan using the Forestry Commission template (includes guidance), that complies with the standard set by UKFS
Grant type: PA3: Woodland management plan
How much will be paid: First 100 hectares (ha) £20 per ha (minimum payment £1000); Over 100 ha £10 per ha
BPS [1]: Yes
Notes: The Woodland management plan must cover all the woodland on the holding, including all newly planted woodland.
The amount paid will be calculated on the entire eligible area of woodland on the holding.
This calculation can include up to an additional 20% of newly planted woodland (this means woodland that is under 10 years old at the time of application).
Grant group: CS
Grant type: Woodland creation
How much will be paid: Woodland Creation Offer; Capped at £6,800/ha
BPS [1]: Yes
Notes: DEFRA are expecting to close this to new entrants in the near future (but maintain Woodland Creation Maintenance Offer until 2024 when all of CS schemes will be phased out to new entrants)
Grant group: CS Capital item
Grant type: Higher Tier & Mid Tier capital support pmt
How much will be paid: TE4 Supply & plant tree + protection options
BPS [1]: n/a
Notes: Can’t use on an area funded under EWCO
Grant group: CS Higher Tier
Time period: Expected to be phased out to new entrants by end of 2024
Eligibility: Land where wood pasture was once present OR Where it extends/buffers/links existing wood pasture
Grant type: Create new wood pasture through planting & natural regeneration
How much will be paid: WD6 Creation of wood pasture
Lowlands (outside SDA) £409/ha
Uplands (inside the SDA) £333/ha
10 year agreement
BPS [1]: currently unknown
Notes: Uplands option can be used above moorland line. Woodland Trust has successfully used this option to create wood pasture in Cumbria. Recent example is the approval of 2000 tree cages under WD6.
Woodland Trust Outreach Advisor commented in lowland locations it needs to be appropriate to National Landscape characteristics and at decision of local North East adviser
Grant group: CS Capital item
Eligibility: Use with WD4 Management of wood pasture, WD5 restoration of wood pasture, WD6 creation of wood pasture
Grant type: Higher Tier & Mid Tier capital support pmt
How much will be paid: TE2 Planting standard parkland tree £24.50/tree
Grant type: Planting Biodiverse woodland (9Trees CIC)
Time period: 9Trees plant and manage the woodland for 50 years
Types of planting: From shelter belts to woodlands, as well as agroforestry & silviculture
Grant type: Free surveys, mapping, materials, trees, labour & management
Funded: Via subscribers & businesses; member access required but low rates of attendance
Contact: 9Trees CIC
Find out more
Our Senior Adviser, Regenerative Forestry Clive Thomas takes a closer look at activities it supports, plus the payments and grants on offer.
Keep up to date with news and events about agroforestry and more by signing up to our monthly Organic Farming newsletter.
Notes
[1] Yes if land eligible for BPS
[2] EWCO phase 1 won’t support silvoarable or silvopastoral schemes. Forestry Commission & DEFRA discussing as a priority how these can be supported
[3] Assumption will lead into ELM from 2025
[4] Assumption will lead into ELM from 2025
