Updates to the England Woodland Creation Offer and Countryside Stewardship schemes will give land managers more flexibility and financial security.
Significant funding improvements to the biggest land management schemes for forestry – the England Woodland Creation Offer and Countryside Stewardship – have been announced by Defra and the Forestry Commission. The changes are designed help drive tree planting rates across the country and to support farmers and landowners to grow more trees.
The key changes will see an increase in funding for land managers and farmers, helping to support the creation of more resilient and better managed woodland; maintenance payments increased to 15 years; and an increase in the timeframe for capital works from two to three years.
Forestry Commission Chairman Sir William Worsley said: “As woodland creation increases across the country we want to make sure the trees we do plant are well managed and resilient against future threats such as climate change or tree pests and diseases. It’s vital that once planted, new woodlands are well looked after.
“We’ve listened to sector feedback on payment rates and timescales. The changes brought in today will give land managers two seasons to complete the planting and give longer term financial support to manage woodlands in the important early years of establishment. This will play an essential part in creating resilient forests and woodlands which improve our natural environment, help meet net zero carbon emissions, provide a sustainable source of home-grown timber and boost people’s health and wellbeing.”
The government has set stretching targets to increase tree canopy and woodland cover in England to 16.5% by 2050. Today’s changes will help get more trees in the ground at speed and will play an important role in halting nature’s decline by 2030 and meeting net zero emissions by 2050. Tree planting will also play a vital role in achieving wider priorities including improving water quality, reducing flooding, creating green jobs and better connecting people with nature.
