{"analytics_identifier":null,"base_path":"/countryside-stewardship-grants/creation-of-dead-wood-habitat-on-trees-te13","content_id":"eee98a47-d582-4dbc-9a22-78ad511daa64","description":"Find out about eligibility and requirements for the creation of dead wood habitat on trees item.","details":{"body":"<div class=\"example\">\n  <p>This item is part of Higher Tier Capital Grants 2026. You must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-tier-capital-grants-2026\">Higher Tier Capital Grants 2026 guidance</a> to understand the rules and how to apply.<br><br>\nIf you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\">CSHT applicant’s guide</a> to understand the rules and how to apply.</p>\n</div>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-much-youll-be-paid\">How much you’ll be paid </h2>\n\n<p>£285.58 per tree.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment\">How this item benefits the environment</h2>\n\n<p>Creating dead wood habitat on trees benefits rare or specialised wildlife where there is a generational gap between veteran trees and their successors.</p>\n\n<p>If successful, it will speed up the process of producing wood decay habitats in younger trees to become veteran trees in the future. This will mimic the natural damage caused by (for example):</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>lightning strikes</li>\n  <li>branch failure</li>\n  <li>woodpecker holes</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"where-you-can-use-this-item\">Where you can use this item</h2>\n\n<p>You can use this item with the agreement of Natural England on trees:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>on or next to sites with existing populations of veteran trees</li>\n  <li>on land being treated by cutting or extensive grazing to manage the site</li>\n  <li>where cover across the area does not exceed 25%</li>\n  <li>that do not impede or are impeded by the crown or canopy of existing veteran trees</li>\n  <li>that are the same native species and genetic origin as existing native veteran trees in the area</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h2 id=\"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item\">What you must do to use this item</h2>\n\n<p>Before you apply, you must get a written assessment and advice on the work required from a qualified arboricultural expert. </p>\n\n<p>The assessment must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>lay out the intended outcome of the work</li>\n  <li>explain how the long-term health and viability of the trees to be cut will be maintained</li>\n  <li>explain the requirements for subsequent management</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You can pay for this using <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/implementation-plan-pa1\">PA1: Implementation plan</a> or <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/feasibility-study-pa2\">PA2: Feasibility study</a>.</p>\n\n<p>You must:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>remove any existing scrub or secondary growth around the selected trees</li>\n  <li>carry out the work as set out in an approved specification or implementation plan</li>\n  <li>carry out the work between 1 September and the end of February, using an appropriately qualified arborist</li>\n  <li>when pollarding trees, cut them at a height which prevents grazing of re-growth</li>\n  <li>make sure you can monitor the trees’ response to cutting by tagging each tree</li>\n  <li>keep the deadwood of any tree that dies following work to veteranise the tree and plant a replacement tree of the same native species and genetic origin</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must not use this item for work required for health and safety purposes.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"evidence-you-must-keep\">Evidence you must keep </h2>\n\n<p>You must keep and provide a map showing the location of mature and veteran standing trees and standing and fallen deadwood with your application.</p>\n\n<p>You must also keep and provide with your claim:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>photographs of the completed work</li>\n  <li>a copy of the arboricultural assessment</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>You must also keep and provide on request:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>any consents or permissions connected with the work</li>\n  <li>receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable</li>\n  <li>photographs of the trees before works start</li>\n  <li>records required of the work undertaken and details of the persons undertaking it and their qualifications</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-higher-tier-capital-grants-and-protection-and-infrastructure-grants-2026\">Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants</a> for more information.</p>\n\n<p>If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht\">CSHT agreement holder’s guide</a>.</p>\n\n<h2 id=\"other-items-and-actions-you-can-use-with-this-item\">Other items and actions you can use with this item</h2>\n\n<h3 id=\"capital-items\">Capital items</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these items:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/planting-standard-parkland-tree-te2\">TE2: Planting standard parkland tree</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/tree-guard-wood-post-and-rail-te7\">TE7: Tree guard (wood post and rail)</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/tree-guard-wood-post-and-wire-te8\">TE8: Tree guard (wood post and wire)</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/parkland-tree-guard-welded-steel-te9\">TE9: Parkland tree guard - welded steel</a></p>\n\n<h3 id=\"countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-actions-or-options\">Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions or options</h3>\n\n<p>You can use this item with these actions or options:</p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd20-create-wood-pasture\">CWD20: Create wood pasture</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd21-restore-wood-pasture-and-parkland\">CWD21: Restore wood pasture and parkland</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd22-manage-wood-pasture-and-parkland\">CWD22: Manage wood pasture and parkland</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/management-of-wood-pasture-and-parkland-wd4\">WD4: Management of wood pasture and parkland</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/restoration-of-wood-pasture-and-parkland-wd5\">WD5: Restoration of wood pasture and parkland</a></p>\n\n<p><a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/creation-of-wood-pasture-wd6\">WD6: Creation of wood pasture</a></p>\n\n<h2 id=\"advice-to-help-you-use-this-item\">Advice to help you use this item</h2>\n\n<p>The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"picking-the-right-trees\">Picking the right trees</h3>\n\n<p>‘Veteranisation’ or the creation of dead wood habitat on trees may shorten the tree’s life. Only attempt this where there are:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>enough trees in the same area that will not be worked on – your arboricultural expert will agree this number with you</li>\n  <li>not enough late-mature trees to provide successors to the veteran trees</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Never use this method on trees:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>which are developing wood decay habitat</li>\n  <li>with important habitat, for example, on trees that host protected species such as bats</li>\n  <li>in parks, towns or other situations where damage may cause safety issues</li>\n  <li>ancient or veteran trees</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>Any intervention needs to be small enough that it does not pose an immediate threat to the tree, allowing survival for many years.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"management\">Management</h3>\n\n<p>You can use several methods to encourage veteran features on younger trees including:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>cutting the tops of trees that are likely to respond to pollarding</li>\n  <li>making holes in live standing trees to initiate rot</li>\n  <li>deliberately damaging the bark to induce decay or simulate sap runs</li>\n  <li>breaking branches, rather than sawing them off flush or creating ‘coronet’ ends</li>\n  <li>increasing water retention in forks and crowns of trees by drilling holes</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>The person providing the advice and tree management report should be either:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>a certified veteran tree specialist at practicing or consulting level as part of the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://www.vetcert.eu/standards-certificates\">VETcert tree management standard</a>\n</li>\n  <li>a member of the Arboricultural Association at professional level or higher and ideally experienced in working in veteran tree management</li>\n</ul>\n\n<p>The person cutting the tree should be an appropriately qualified arboricultural expert, defined as either:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>an individual who has achieved an RQF (Regulated Qualifications Framework) Level 4 qualification or higher in Arboriculture – this means at least the Level 4 Award in Arboriculture or its predecessor the Level 3 Technicians Certificate in Arboriculture</li>\n  <li>a member of the Arboricultural Association at Technician level or higher</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"planting-new-trees\">Planting new trees</h3>\n\n<p>If a tree dies following this work, you must replace it with a tree of the same species and genetic origin. You must plant any replacement tree where there is enough room to grow an open crown.</p>\n\n<h3 id=\"consents-and-permissions\">Consents and permissions </h3>\n\n<p>Check if you need:</p>\n\n<ul>\n  <li>consent or permission to carry out work Tree Preservation Orders (TPOs) and Conservation Orders may apply to the trees on site</li>\n  <li>a <a href=\"https://www.gov.uk/guidance/manage-and-protect-woodland-wildlife\">licence</a> from Natural England may be needed for work on old trees</li>\n</ul>\n\n<h3 id=\"creating-veteran-features\">Creating veteran features</h3>\n\n<p>Follow the <a rel=\"external\" href=\"https://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/75035\">advice on the VETree</a> website for creating veteran features.</p>\n","change_history":[{"note":"General improvement for clarity.","public_timestamp":"2025-02-03T12:11:35Z"},{"note":"It item is now available for Higher Tier Capital Grants","public_timestamp":"2023-02-13T15:49:38Z"},{"note":"Additional guidance and advice section added to explain this option can form part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to prevent the establishment of pests, weeds and diseases.","public_timestamp":"2022-02-01T17:22:37Z"},{"note":"The Keeping records section of this page has been updated","public_timestamp":"2020-02-11T19:00:32Z"},{"note":"Updated for 2017 applications.","public_timestamp":"2017-03-08T17:41:28Z"},{"note":"Information updated for applications in 2016.","public_timestamp":"2016-03-29T11:15:28Z"},{"note":"First published.","public_timestamp":"2015-04-02T10:41:47Z"}],"headers":[{"id":"how-much-youll-be-paid","level":2,"text":"How much you'll be paid "},{"id":"how-this-item-benefits-the-environment","level":2,"text":"How this item benefits the environment"},{"id":"where-you-can-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"Where you can use this item"},{"id":"what-you-must-do-to-use-this-item","level":2,"text":"What you must do to use this 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