TE7: Tree guard (wood post and rail)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the tree guard (wood post and rail) item.

• From: Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
• Published: 2 April 2015
• Last updated: 10 March 2017 — See all updates

• Grant type: Capital item
• Land use: Priority habitats, Trees (non-woodland), Uplands
• Tiers or standalone items: Higher Tier, Mid Tier
• Funding (per unit per year): £101 to £200

How much will be paid

£109.64 per guard.

Where to use this item

Available for Countryside Stewardship Mid Tier and Higher Tier

Only on trees within a parcel managed with one of the following options:

• BE3 - Management of hedgerows
• BE4 - Management of traditional orchards
• BE5 - Creation of traditional orchards (Higher Tier only)
• WD4 - Management of wood pasture and parkland
• WD5 - Restoration of wood pasture and parkland (Higher Tier only)
• WD6 - Creation of wood pasture and parkland (Higher Tier only)
• WD7 - Management of successional areas and scrub
• WD8 - Creation of successional area and scrub (Higher Tier only)

Where this item cannot be used

With the following items:

• TE6 - Tree guard (tube and mesh)
• TE8 - Tree guard (wood post and wire)

How this item will benefit the environment

If successful this item will protect trees from damage caused by grazing animals and wild animals.

Requirements

• erect tree guards at least 2m high which have:

  • 4 treated timber corner posts
  • 5cm diameter top and middle rails
  • a bottom rail if grazing animals are likely to get underneath the guard
  • posts placed so that grazing animals cannot reach within 0.5m of the tree stem
  • a single strand of barbed wire along the top rail to prevent animals rubbing against the guard

• sheep netting or 3 strands of taut plain or barbed wire should be fastened:

  • to the corner posts between the middle and top rails
  • between the middle rail and the bottom rail
• use sheep netting instead of barbed wire between the middle rail and the bottom rail if sheep are likely to graze the parcel

• the design of the tree guard must allow access for:

  • carrying out formative pruning
  • applying a mulch
  • clearing vegetation around the base of each tree

Do not:

• fasten guards to the tree
• attach guards so that they rub against, constrict or the damage the tree in any other way

Keeping records

Agreement holders will need to keep the following records and supply them on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• photographs of existing trees to be protected

Please see the record keeping and inspection requirements as set out in the relevant Mid Tier and Higher Tier guidance for more detail. You can find the latest guidance at Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage.

Agreement holders will need to keep the following records and supply them with the claim:

• photographs of the completed work

Related Mid Tier items

This item can be used with the following items:

• TE1 - Planting standard hedgerow tree
• TE3 - Planting fruit trees
• TE2 - Planting standard parkland tree (Higher Tier only)

Further information

Read Countryside Stewardship: get funding to protect and improve the land you manage to find out more information about Mid Tier and Higher Tier including how to apply.

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 10 March 2017 + show all updates

1. 9 March 2017

   Updated for 2017 applications.

2. 29 March 2016

   Information updated for applications in 2016.

3. 2 April 2015

   First published.