Potential owners and managers of woodland in the North West have three months left to submit their applications for the Forestry Commission’s new-look Woodland Creation Grants. Following on from the success of incentive schemes over the last 10 years, the government department has made further fundung available, offering landowners up to £3,800 per hectare through its latest English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS).
The North West is one of the least wooded parts of the country and ancient woodland is particularly sparse. With current cover ranging from as little as four percent to nine percent, new woodland will have a strong social impact, as well as delivering environmental and economic value, across the region.
The Forestry Commission’s aim is to encourage landowners in targeted areas, where there are high populations, significant deprivation and a lack of public access to green spaces, to take up the grants. The scheme specifically supports those who provide public benefits within woodland, such as greater access and improved biodiversity.
‘Quality of Place’ maps have been produced to identify areas where it is felt that the health and education benefits of new accessible woodland is most needed. They can be viewed at www.forestry.gov.uk/northwestengland-grants.
Kevin May, Grants, Regulation and Partnership Manager for the Forestry Commission in North West England, said: “We’re developing the English Woodland Grant Scheme in the North West to help landowners in ‘Quality of Place’ areas to open up new and existing woodlands on their land to the public to improve access and provide recreation opportunities for better health and wellbeing.”
This year, additional priority areas for the EWGS include woodland bird and butterfly habitats, maintenance and enhancement of Sites of Special Scientific Interest and ancient woodland expansion. The Forestry Commission is also looking for applications to plant new native woodland near existing ancient woodland and the stewardship of existing woodland that benefits the environment or provides new places for people to enjoy healthy exercise.
The additional funding is available to those who can finish planting before the end of March 2010. The minimum area which can be supported is quarter of a hectare. Higher percentage contributions and eased eligibility criteria will also be introduced for other grants within the suite of grants available. Changes to grant rules now allow farmers to continue to receive single farm payments as well as claiming EWGS and Farm Woodland Payments for planting new woodlands on agricultural land.
The closing date for the Woodland Creation Grant is 30th September 2009. For all other grants it is 28th February 2010, although they may close early if they are fully subscribed.
Over the past decade, grants worth more than £10 million have been allocated by the Forestry Commission, leading to the creation of over 5,000 hectares of new woodland in North West England.
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