The Farm Woodland Premium Scheme is designed to encourage the creation of new woodlands on farms. The objective is to enhance the environment through the planting of farm woodlands, in particular to improve the landscape, provide new habitats and increase biodiversity. The annual payments made under the scheme are made to compensate for agricultural revenue foregone.

The annual payments are made for either 10 years or 15 years. To receive annual payments over 15 years, more than 50% of the area of the wood must be planted with broadleaved trees. Other woodlands (i.e. generally those with 50% or more of the area of the wood planted with conifers) will receive payments over 10 years.

You can apply for either:

• The Woodland Grant Scheme alone. You may wish to do this if you do not qualify for the FWPS, for example, because you are not farming the land; or
  
  
• Both the WGS and the FWPS. Only one joint application is needed

You cannot apply for the FWPS alone because of the environmental and silvicultural standards of the WGS must be satisfied before an FWPS application can be approved.

For further information, please contact Tom Whitehead at oour Knaresborough officeon 01423 860322.