Farming Talk: Cash available to assist with wood planting

Farmers and land managers looking to establish new woodland are reminded that funding of up to £4,800 per hectare is available from the Forestry Commission.

Grant rates have increased this year under the Woodland Grant Scheme to give woodland owners a greater incentive to create more and bigger woodlands – a key priority for the Forestry Commission. Conifer plantations could attract £2,200 per hectare, while broadleaved woodlands meeting national objectives could achieve a maximum of £4,800 per hectare.

The additional contributions up to £2,000 per ha (hence a total of up to £4,800/ha) are for key priority woodland: Delivering the Water Framework Directive; and/or offering public access where there is a demand; and/or for biodiversity, creating at least 5ha of native woodland habitat and/or in Nature Improvement Areas; and/or complementing other habitat restoration eg PAWS restoration.

All applications meeting the UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) will be eligible and to tackle a changing climate and plant health issues, The Forestry Commission is promoting the planting of more resilient mixed woodlands using a wider choice of species. It is keen to see applications for the creation of larger blocks of woodland because they offer greater productive opportunities and deliver more public benefits than some smaller woodlands.

Lower density woodland will be permitted where appropriate to the site and management objectives on upland sites, ghyll/ gill woodland and other marginal habitat. You can find out more at www.forestry.gov.uk

Farmers and rural businesses still have a month left to apply in the second round for grants from Defra to help them become more profitable and efficient at using resources.

The Farming and Forestry Improvement Scheme (FFIS) is part of the Rural Development Programme for England (RDPE) and is a scheme of support developed to help farming, forestry and horticultural businesses in England to become more profitable and resilient whilst reducing the impact of farming on the environment.

Round Two of the Scheme was launched last month (May 22) and applicants have until July 17 to submit their forms to Defra.

The maximum grant per business is £25,000 over the lifetime of FFIS and the minimum grant is £2,500.

There are five themes in FFIS:

• Nutrient management
• Energy efficiency
• Water management
• Animal health and welfare
• Forestry

Eligible items include slurry and silage pit covers, grooving of existing concrete, dribble bars for slurry tankers. However, items deemed not eligible may include cow tracks, new buildings and concreting.

Kathryn Lewis is assistant surveyor with Davis Meade property consultants, Oswestry