Correspondence

eAlert: 1 July 2021 - England Woodland Creation Offer series

Published 1 July 2021

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

1. 1 July 2021

The third in our series focusing on Additional Contributions for the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO).

2. Why should you plant trees using the England Woodland Creation Offer?

2.1 In addition to covering the standard capital costs of tree planting (up to a cap of £8,500 per hectare), and annual maintenance payments of £200 per hectare for 10 years, follow our series in upcoming eAlerts to find out more about the Additional Contributions that you could apply for. These Additional Contributions are optional and can be combined.

This week we focus on: £500 per hectare for woodlands that are close to where people live.

3. Choose to create woodland close to where people live - up to £500 per hectare

EWCO offers an Additional Contribution for woodland close to where people live, it’s available where woodland creation will provide social and environmental benefits by being close to people. 

• Spatial targeting: Proposed woodland meeting the design requirements touches the ‘NfC Social’ layer in the FC’s map browser and Land Information Search.
• Species mix: UK Forestry Standard compliance with no one species more than 50% of the mixture for climate adaptation. Broadleaf or conifer species effective, with broadleaves along watercourses (see riparian buffer Additional Contribution).
• Stocking density: Minimum of 1,100 stems per hectare.

If you are creating a woodland close to where people live, you may be able to take advantage of an additional contribution to open the woodland for people to enjoy. Find out more next week.

Find out more about the England Woodland Creation Offer

4. Join a live webinar to hear more about the England Woodland Creation Offer!

The England Woodland Creation Offer has been designed to provide flexibility for a range of woodland types and support to make woodland creation a worth while business decision. To find out more about EWCO, join one of our live webinar on 6 July 2021, commencing at 11:00am. (Please note the link takes you directly to the livestream).

Attend a live event: 6 July 2021 11:00-12:30

5. Sustainable Farming Incentive

5.1 Agricultural Transition Plan update

At the Cereals Show in Lincolnshire yesterday (Wednesday 30 June), Environment Secretary, George Eustice announced that the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) will start from 2022 with a focus on soils - with the arable and horticultural soils standard, the improved grassland soils standard, the moorland and rough grazing standard, and the Annual Health and Welfare Review.

Defra also published two documents that provide more information about their environmental land management schemes:

• the Agricultural Transition Plan Update provides more detail on the early rollout of the SFI in 2022
• the Payment Principles document sets out Defra’s approach to environmental scheme payments throughout the transition

Last week, speaking from the Groundswell Agriculture Show, Minister Eustice, also confirmed from 2028 an even-split of funding between the future farming schemes.

If you are piloting the SFI, the Woodland Standard involves completing a woodland condition assessment, attending a woodland threats webinar, creating and managing open space and rides, and creating and managing deadwood. There is also the option to do small-scale (<0.5ha) woodland creation adjacent to existing woodland under certain circumstances.

If you are interested in reading more about the farm woodland standard, you can find out what land is eligible and how much you can get paid.

6. We have updated our Woodland grants and incentives overview table

6.1 Find out what grants and incentives are available

Our updated Woodland grants and incentives overview table now includes the England Woodland Creation Offer and allows you to compare grants to help decide which you want to find out more about!

7. Reminders of upcoming deadlines

7.1 We don’t want you to miss an application deadline - so check out what’s closing soon so you don’t miss out

The Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds - Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Funds:

• regional woodland restoration Innovation fund for the East of England and East Midlands - closes Monday 12 July 2021
• regional woodland restoration Innovation fund for Yorkshire and the North East - closes Monday 12 July 2021