Correspondence

eAlert: 29 November 2022 - National Tree Week

Published 29 November 2022

Applies to England

Welcome to our National Tree Week eAlert!
 
National Tree Week celebrates all things trees and we wanted to share some of the important announcements with you.

1. Woods into Management – Forestry Innovation Funds, Tree Production Innovation Fund and Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund announce successful projects

Read about the successful projects!

1.1 Woods into Management - Forestry Innovation Funds

The Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds, a grant made up of four funds:

  • Timber in Construction Innovation Fund
  • Routes to Market for Ash Timber Innovation Fund
  • Temporary Infrastructure Innovation Fund
  • Regional Woodland Restoration Innovation Funds

Around 41% of woodlands in England are not actively managed, which can be detrimental to biodiversity and leave neglected woodlands vulnerable to pests and disease. The 33 successful projects allocated a share of £5.8 million through the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds will develop new ideas that can help improve the ecological condition of woodlands and their resilience to climate change via increased demand for wood and a greater level of active management. The Forestry Commission aims to bring an additional 20,000 hectares of existing woodland in England into active management by 2024/25.
 
You can read more about the work of the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Fund in our new blog Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds: 2022 successful applicants, and also read about the successful projects on GOV.UK: Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds: successful projects 2022.

1.2 Tree Production Innovation Fund

The Tree Production Innovation Fund aims to support innovative projects which explore how new technologies and ways of working can enhance the quantity, quality, and diversity of tree planting stock in England. This will serve to supply young trees in the quantities required to realise ambitious tree planting goals over the coming years. £4.5 million has been made available to support 13 organisations operating across the forestry industry, including collaborations between nurseries, researchers and charities.
 
We will soon be sharing details of the successful projects, and a blog – look out for details in next weeks eAlert!

1.3 Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund winners announcement

The Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund has supported 57 local authorities across England, they have received £9.8 million in funding to kickstart tree planting activity, create new green jobs and boost access to nature. The Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund enables local authorities to bring on board new staff and access the professional expertise needed to drive tree planting and woodland creation activity at a local level.  More than 100 new green jobs will be created across the country, with an emphasis on upskilling professionals from outside the forestry sector. This will help to expand the industry’s workforce, address skills shortages and help to grow the economy. Newly trained or employed staff include project managers, woodland creation officers, community engagement officers, funding consultants, or specialist advisors, such as landscape architects or archaeologists.  
 
Together, staff will focus on developing planting plans, applications for capital funding in 2023/2024 and 2024/2025, and speeding up the delivery of new woodlands, contributing to our plans to reach net zero emissions by 2050. As well as tackling the impacts of climate change, the significant funding will create diverse and resilient treescapes and improve the health and wellbeing of local communities. 
 
Over two thirds of upper tier local authorities in England applied for the Woodland Creation Accelerator Fund, representing a blend of urban, mixed, and rural applications. 

Watch our video to find out more: watch the video.

2. Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF) and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) will open for applications in 2023

Find out about the improved funds.

The Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF) and the Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) will reopen for new applications early in 2023, with some significant improvements to the funds based on stakeholder feedback. Now in their third and fifth rounds respectively, the reopening of both funds will see trees planted in rural areas (for LATF), as well as in towns and cities nationwide. It represents another step forward in the government’s drive to treble tree planting rates across England by the end of this Parliament.

Use our explainer to help decide which fund to apply for.

Question Local Authority Treescapes Fund Urban Tree Challenge Fund
Who can apply? Borough, District and City Councils, as well as County Councils, Unitary and Metropolitan Boroughs (partners may be involved in group) Anyone
Where can trees be planted? Anywhere outside woodland (urban or rural) Urban areas (scroll down for the definition below)
Are there restrictions on what tree sizes can be planted? LATF projects can plant trees of any size. In rural areas, trees of any size (new or replacements), may be planted, in any non-woodland location. In urban areas, ‘standard’ (large) trees may only be planted where they are replacing trees that have been lost, for example due to old age or disease – but smaller trees (whips and feathers), may be new or replacements. Must be new ‘standard’ (large) trees (and cannot be replacement trees)
Do I need to provide match funding, and if so, how much? There is no minimum requirement, but bids with lower costs-per-tree will score more highly and will be more likely to receive funding - as LATF is a competitive grant, sourcing match funding is strongly encouraged. 20% match funding requirement (money or labour)
How much can the bid be for? Between £50,000 and £300,000 Block bids at least £125,000. Individual bids between £10,000 and £30,000. Each planting block must be for at least 10 standard trees.

Read our Blog to learn more.

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3. Q&A: Local Authority Treescapes Fund & Urban Tree Challenge Fund 2023

Sign up to the webinar.

The Tree Council invites County Councils, Unitary and Metropolitan Boroughs, and Borough, District and City Councils to a Q&A session with Defra and the Forestry Commission to answer your questions about the LATF and UTCF.

Monday, 5 December 2022, 2–3pm

Book via Eventbrite.

4. Read the press release for more information on the impact of these grants

You can read more about these exciting announcements in the full press release: Funding boost for country’s woodlands and timber industry.

5. The Big Nature Impact Fund – announced at COP27

Check recent updates.

Earlier this month at COP27 it was announced that Defra’s £30 million investment in the new Big Nature Impact Fund will look to accelerate nature recovery across England.
This innovative partnership between Defra, Federated Hermes Limited and Finance Earth, will:

  • attract significant private sector finance to deliver nature-based projects that strengthen our natural environment and boost the economy
  • create new green jobs and secure existing ones
  • support agriculture by restoring soils and reducing nutrient loss, essential for sustainable agriculture and food security

Read more about what the Environment Secretary announced at COP27 in the press release Environment Secretary calls for action to protect and restore nature at COP27  and follow the eAlert for more on the Big Nature Impact Fund as it is announced.

6. How we’re working to improve the England Woodland Creation Offer application process - new blog post

Alec Rhodes is the Forestry Commission’s Head of Incentives Development and Compliance. In this blog post he looks at the work being done to improve the England Woodland Creation Offer application process since its launch in June 2021.

Read the Blog.

7. Right tree, right place, for the right reasons - new blog post

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) sets out criteria and guidance for the sustainable management of forests and woodlands in the UK. Check the seven key factors you need to consider.

See our infographic.

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