eAlert: 8 February 2022 - grant updates
Published 9 February 2022
Applies to England
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1. Woods into Management and Tree Production Innovation Funds to re-open in 2022
The Forestry Commission will re-open two major grant schemes in early 2022, the Woods into Management (WiM) Forestry Innovation Funds and Tree Production Innovation Fund (TPIF).
1.1 About the Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds
A series of grants designed to stimulate the development and testing of new ideas that can help improve the ecological condition of woodlands, and their resilience to climate change, via increased demand for wood and increased levels of woodland management. New to the 2022 offer is the Timber in Construction Innovation Fund, which aims to increase and facilitate the use of sustainable English wood and wood fibre in construction.
The following Woods Into Management Forestry Innovation Funds grants are scheduled to open for applications in 2022:
- Timber in Construction Innovation Fund
- Routes to market for ash timber Innovation Fund
- Temporary infrastructure Innovation Fund
- Regional woodland restoration Innovation Funds
Further details on each of the Innovation Funds can be found on our website.
Applicants will be invited to submit multi-year proposals spanning up to three financial years (ending March 2025), with individual projects valued at up to £100K per year.
An overview of the 2021/22 WiM Forestry Innovation Funds offer can be found on our website: WiM Forestry Innovation Funds 2021/22 Overview. To read more about the projects which were awarded funding last year, and get ideas for what’s possible, read our blog.
1.2 About the Tree Production Innovation Fund
A grant designed 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. New to the 2022 offer, applicants will be invited to submit multi-year proposals spanning up to three financial years (ending March 2025). Projects can be valued at up to £300K per year and must 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?
An overview of the 2021/22 TPIF offer can be found on our website: TPIF 2021/22 Overview. To read more about the projects which were awarded funding last year, and get ideas for what’s possible, read our blog: TPIF 2021/22 Projects.
2. Countryside Stewardship (CS) Higher Tier Application window is now open
Details on What’s new in CS 2022 and how to apply are available on the Countryside Stewardship guidance page.
We are expanding the CS Woodland Offer and are introducing 4 new area based woodland supplements:
| Supplement code | Supplement name | Payment rate |
|---|---|---|
| WS1 | Deer control and management | £90/ha |
| WS2 | PAWS restoration and maintenance | £70/ha |
| WS3 | Squirrel control and management | £50/ha |
| WS4 | Access for people | £50/ha |
Details on eligibility, requirements, record keeping, etc., are available on Grant Finder Tool.
Other changes such as Historic Environment item/option compatibility and Woodland Infrastructure standalone offer are covered in What’s new in CS 2022 update.
We have published Operational Notes to support the delivery of the Countryside Stewardship:
- Deer Control and Management
- Squirrel Control and Management
- Advice on Historic Environment items/options
Please be aware of the application window to ensure you don’t miss the deadline for your application to be returned:
- 31 March 2022 – deadline for requesting an application pack
- 29 April 2022 – deadline for submitting an initial application for Higher Tier
3. Landscape recovery scheme launch
3.1 Applications are now open for the Landscape Recovery Scheme (LRS). Applicants can be individual landowners or groups of landowners. Applications must be between 500-5000 ha. More information about LRS can be found on GOV.UK.
This is the first round of Landscape Recovery. There will be more rounds in the coming years. The first round aims to support projects that help:
(a) recover threatened native species, restore priority habitats, improve habitat quality, and increase species abundance; and/or (b) restore streams and rivers, improve water quality and biodiversity, and adapt to climate change.
Applications will be scored. Successful applications will receive funding for up to 2 years to support project development and prepare for delivery.
Projects focused on theme (a) will be administered by Natural England. Projects focused on theme (b) will be administered by the Environment Agency. Whilst the Forestry Commission is not administering projects as part of the first round, we will be involved in a regulatory and advisory capacity.
4. First of its kind Development Woodland Officer apprenticeship programme
4.1 Are you looking for an exciting pathway into the forestry sector?
Yesterday (7 February 2021) we announced our ground-braking Development Woodland Officer programme jointly led by the Forestry Commission, the University of Cumbria and the Institute of Chartered Foresters, at the start of National Apprenticeship week.
Our three-year paid programme is looking for people who want to kickstart their career in forestry. It will see successful applicants benefit from academic studies in forestry management at the University of Cumbria, practical experience in Forestry Commission area teams and nine months of wider sector placements!
Graduate of the programme will earn a Professional Forester Apprenticeship (equivalent to Level 6), a Professional Forester BSc (Hons) and the potential to gain Chartered Forester status with the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
Forestry Commission Chief Executive, Richard Stanford said:
It offers the unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience, a BSc (Hons) and the potential to gain Chartered Forester status with the Institute of Chartered Foresters. The Forestry Commission apprentices will be paid and will gain all these qualifications, with zero tuition fees and no need for a student loan.
We are looking for ambitious, driven individuals who are eager to support our ambitious tree planting plans and ensure our precious woods and forests continue to flourish for generations to come.
Recruitment will open in spring 2022. For more information, please email: DWOenquiries@forestrycommission.gov.uk
5. Want to plant trees but not sure how it works alongside Basic Payment Scheme and Environmental Stewardship payments?
The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is compatible with the Basic Payment Scheme, which means you can continue to claim on eligible land.
For more information read section 9 in Guidance on woodland grant schemes and BPS: Operations Note 42. You may be able to transfer land in an existing Environmental Stewardship grant agreement into the England Woodland Creation Offer without penalty, subject to conditions.
The conditions are:
a. the transfer of land into EWCO will result in a net improvement in environmental management on that land, compared to management under the existing ES agreement b. the ES agreement remains viable after transfer of the land and removal from the ES agreement
Read more in section 3.3 of the EWCO Grant Manual.
For enquiries relating to EWCO, please contact EWCO@forestrycommission.gov.uk. For enquiries relating to conditions (a) and (b), or the process of removing land from an ES agreement, please contact ruralpayments@defra.gov.uk.
6. Inspiring Woodland Creation webinar
6.1 You can watch again if you missed it!
We are delighted so many people joined us at our recent Inspiring Woodland Creation webinar. For those of you that missed it, would like to see it again or want to it share with others, the video is ready to watch on our YouTube.
Inspiring Woodland Creation webinar.
Topics covered include the benefits of woodland creation for farmers, landowners and communities, incentives and income available to support woodland creation, woodland design and planning, and how to get started.
7. Update on Phytophthora pluvialis plant health requirements
Since late 2021 the Forestry Commission and Forest Research have been investigating a new tree disease to the UK known as Phytophthora pluvialis, a fungus-like pathogen. This disease can affect western hemlock, Douglas-fir, pine, and tanoak trees. The Forestry Commission in England has introduced demarcated zones through Notices where P. pluvialis has been found within Cornwall, Devon, and Cumbria (zone boundaries are subject to change as targeted monitoring is still ongoing) to restrict the movement of susceptible material.
The Notices also require pre-notification of felling of susceptible material within the demarcated area. Landowners should notify the Forestry Commission via a dedicated mailbox 2 weeks prior to any felling operations that involve the relevant species. Felling may only commence once authorisation has been provided by the Forestry Commission after a tree health inspection has taken place. These measures are to reduce the spread of P. pluvialis to other areas and stands of trees.
More information, including maps of the demarcated zones, is available on our P. pluvialis guidance page. You can also contact your local Forestry Commission Woodland Officer.
8. See our updated Agent Authority Form and guidance
If you need to give your agent permission to submit or manage an agreement on your behalf you need to provide an Agent Authority Form
We’ve updated the Forestry Commission Agent Authority Form. This is the form you can use to grant an agent permission to submit an application or manage an agreement on your behalf. A full list of applications the form can be used for and guidance on how to complete the form is available on GOV.UK.
We have made changes to the form to help us provide a better service for all applications where agent permissions are needed you can now select whether the authority relates to past applications, future applications, or both. We are also now able to accept a mixture of both electronic and wet signatures on the form.
You don’t need to complete a new form if you’ve previously submitted one to us, as long as all the details are the same and it grants the correct permissions. If you are applying for the England Woodland Creation Offer your Agent authority forms (AAFs) must be on version 3 (2019) or later.