Grant Schemes
English Woodland Grant Scheme
The English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) is the Forestry Commission's suite of grants designed to develop the co-ordinated delivery of public benefits from England's woodlands. The scheme is supported by the Rural Development Programme for England.
The aims of the EWGS are to:
- sustain and increase the public benefits given by existing woodlands and
- help create new woodlands to deliver additional public benefit.
Grants are available for the following:
- Woodland Planning Grant (WPG)
WPG contributes toward the cost of producing management plans for existing woodland, which meet the planning requirements of the UK Woodland Assurance (UKWA) Standard.
Rates for WPG in all regions of England are:
| Area of woodland on the property | Total grant |
|---|---|
| 3 - 30 ha | £300 (total) |
| Over 30 ha & under 100 ha | £10/ha |
| Any additional area over 100 ha | £5/ha |
- Woodland Management Grant (WMG)
WMG aims to encourage low key sustainable woodland practice, in order to safeguard existing environmental and social public benefits the woodland provides and to create the conditions under which the woodland can continue to deliver such benefits. The grant is £30/ha per year for 5 years.
- Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG)
WIG focuses on initiating and securing targeted change to remove threats to, and take opportunities for, the improvement of the delivery of public benefits from woodlands. WIG supports capital investment work in woodlands to create, enhance and sustain the social, environmental and economic public benefits the woodlands provide.
- Woodland Assessment Grant (WAG)
WAG contributes towards the standard costs of undertaking specified assessments when the Forestry Commission considers that further information is required before decisions can be made.
Rates for WAG in all regions of England are:
| Assessment Type | Grant Rate | Minimum Payment |
|---|---|---|
| Ecological Assessment | £60/ha | £300 |
| Landscape Design Plan | £80/ha | £300 |
| Historic & Cultural Assessments | £60/ha | £300 |
| Determining Stakeholder Interests | £300 per assessment | £300 |
- Woodland Regeneration Grant (WRG)
WRG contributes toward the costs involved in making changes to the composition of woodland within the normal cycle of felling and woodland regeneration. The WRG encourages timely felling and appropriate regeneration of woodlands. The grants available start at £350/ha up to as much as £1,760/ha in certain circumstances.
If, however, you are considering creating new woodland there are three further elements to the EWGS that can be applied for depending on the site;
- Woodland Creation Scheme
This grant contributes toward the cost of establishing new woodland, provided the woodland will deliver public benefits.
- Additional Contributions
Additional contributions increase the contribution towards the cost of establishing new woodland in certain situations such as location (e.g. public access).
- Farm Woodland Grant (FWG)
The FWG is a compensation payment for agricultural income forgone as a result from creating a new woodland on land previously used for agriculture.
For advice or assistance on any of the above schemes, please contact
Andrew Hardcastle or Amy Crabtree at our Knaresborough office 01423 860322.
