Correspondence

eAlert: 24 June 2021 - England Woodland Creation Offer series

Published 24 June 2021

Applies to England

1. 24 June 2021

The second 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: Up to £2,800 per hectare for woodlands that restore nature and species.

3. Choose to Restore Nature and Species up to £2,800 per hectare

EWCO offers an Additional Contribution for Nature Recovery (either £2,800 or £1,100 per hectare) where woodland creation will expand areas of existing native woodland, create new native woodland or extend habitat for red squirrel populations.

There are two rates for this Additional Contribution and they cannot be stacked on the same piece of land. Which one applies will depend on the new woodland’s location and composition:

  • Higher rate (£2,800): where expanding areas of existing native woodland with an area(s) of new native woodland.
  • Lower rate (£1,100): where creating either a new native woodland or habitat for red squirrel population.

You can check if the eligibility for this Additional Contribution using the Forestry Commission’s map browser and Land Information Search. Compartments of the proposed woodland that meet the minimum design requirements and touch the High Spatial Priority Area in the ‘Biodiversity - Priority Habitat Network’ layer are eligible for the higher rate. Compartments that meet the minimum design requirements and touch the Lower Spatial Priority Area in the ‘Biodiversity - Priority Habitat Network’ layer or the ‘Priority species- red squirrel – creation later’ are eligible for the lower rate.

For more information please see section 4.3.4 of the EWCO Grant manual.

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 webinars on 29 June 2021 or 6 July 2021, commencing at 11:00am.

5. Updates made to Operations note 054

5.1 We have updated our guidance in: Can I move my project from an existing woodland creation scheme to the England Woodland Creation Offer?: operations note 54

The guidance has been updated to:

  • confirm the eligibility to transition Woodland Carbon Fund agreements into EWCO
  • confirm that land under an Environmental Stewardship (ES) an agreement cannot be included in an application for EWCO, and removing this land from the ES agreement will result in a reclaim and potential penalty
  • land that has been previously removed from an ES agri-environmental agreement to go into woodland creation under Countryside Stewardship is not eligible for transition to EWCO

Operations Note 54 will be updated with further information on the approach to transition agreement under the HS2 Woodland Fund into EWCO.

6. “Might oaks from little acorns grow…?” We are celebrating one year into the Nature for Climate Fund

6.1 Read our blog to find out about all the things that have happened

A year in the life of Bella Murfin and Naomi Matthiessen, job share Directors for the tree planting programme. Read the blog

7. New £1 million Tree Production Innovation Fund supporting nurseries to increase and diversify domestic tree supply

7.1 The Forestry Commission, in collaboration with Defra, will be launching the Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF) in late July 2021.

£1 million in funding will be made available in 2021/2022 to encourage the development and adoption of new technologies and ways of working that will enhance the quantity, quality and diversity of planting stock available for tree planting in England.

Applicants will be invited to apply for up to £200K in grant funding to support projects that address one or more of the following challenges identified through stakeholder engagement as barriers to tree production:

  • Challenge 1 - How can we make better use of available seed and vegetative planting material to maximise the quantity, quality and diversity of trees produced?
  • Challenge 2 - How can we develop growing systems to enhance their efficiency and resilience to change, whilst delivering improved quality and diversity of product? This challenge can include activities to promote biosecurity.
  • Challenge 3 - How can innovative environmentally sustainable weed control solutions be used to reduce reliance on herbicides?

See our Tree Production Innovation Fund GOV.UK page to find out more, and subscribe to our eAlert to get more information on the fund when it opens for applications.

8. Launch of the first newly created Community Forest through the Nature for Climate Fund!

8.1 Plymouth and South Devon to join England’s Community Forest network.

This is a major step towards carbon net zero goals for city and England, the first of 3 new community forests announced through the England Trees Action Plan.

The scheme will receive Nature for Climate funding to develop canopy cover across the city and plant up to 500ha of woodland by 2025, which is expected to more than treble in size to 1600ha by 2034. Plymouth will plant up to 25ha in the first year of this project and receive up to £480,000 in funding from the Nature for Climate Fund - Trees for Climate.

You can find out more in the press release on GOV.UK.

9. New Woods into Management Regional woodland restoration Innovation Funds open

9.1 We have added two new regional funds!

Two Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Funds focusing on improving woodlands in the South East and London and South West areas of the Forestry Commission are open for applications. Up to £70k is available in each area for projects that improve biodiversity, conserve threatened species and address problems caused by invasive species, pests and diseases. Closing date is 23.59 on Tuesday 27 July 2021. You can find more information on our Woods into Management GOV.UK page.

10. Reminders of upcoming deadlines

10.1 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:

Local Authority Treescapes Fund - application deadline 30 June 2021. Harvesting and Processing grant - application deadline 30 June 2021.