Plant The Future

Discover how tree planting can benefit your land and business.

With a range of woodland creation grants available, there’s no better time to start your tree planting journey.

Reap the rewards of woodland creation

When you plant trees you’re improving your land, enriching biodiversity and the wider environment and investing in your business in the long-term, all far-reaching benefits that work hand-in-hand with food production.  

The benefits for your business

Plant trees on your land and you could go on to generate additional income through activities such as harvesting trees for timber, producing wood for fuel and other wood products, selling carbon units, and designing woodland for recreation and leisure use. 

The benefits for your land

Woodland creation can enhance your land, helping you to:

  • boost biodiversity
  • provide shelter for livestock 
  • manage soil and nutrient losses 
  • increase productivity by combining trees with crops and livestock for healthier soil, which could lead to more sustainable yields 
  • provide a natural form of flood management and improve water quality 
  • reduce erosion 
  • cut farm pollution 

The benefits for the environment

Woodlands absorb harmful gases, improving air quality for you and your local community. They act as a natural ‘carbon sink’ by removing and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, helping tackle climate change. 

By making smaller woodlands bigger or connecting existing woodlands with one another you can help connect habitats and encourage wildlife corridors, boosting nature recovery.  

The need for trees to be planted has never been greater. By investing in woodland you can maximise the potential of your land and help to change England’s treescape for the better.

Choosing the right grant for your land

Two grant routes are available to support you in the creation and long-term management of your woodland. Whichever you choose, free expert support and advice are offered to help you to plant the right tree, in the right place, for the right reason. 

Browse the FAQ section for answers to common questions about woodland creation grants.

Regional Woodland Creation Grants

If your land is located within the catchment area of one of our local Woodland Creation Partners, you could apply for a regional grant tailored to your circumstances.

Find out how to apply

The England Woodland Creation Offer

The England Woodland Creation Offer is a national grant scheme offered to farmers and land managers by the Forestry Commission.

Find out more and apply

Interested in wider farming grants?

Get paid for improving the environment alongside food production with The Sustainable Farming Incentive and other schemes.

Find out more

Regional Woodland Creation Grants

Located across England, our local Woodland Creation Partners offer a wide range of highly competitive grants and funding, paired with expert support and advice to encourage tree planting projects across specific regional catchment areas. 

Woodland Creation Partner catchment areas across England

Map of England visualising the catchment areas of The Northern Forest, England's Community Forests, Great Northumberland Forest, National Forest, and Forest for Cornwall.

List of Woodland Creation Partner Catchment Areas

How to apply

If your land is located within one of the catchment areas highlighted above, get in touch with the corresponding Woodland Creation Partner to start your tree planting journey.  

England’s Community Forests​

Forest for Cornwall​

Great Northumberland Forest​

National Forest​

The Northern Forest​

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The England Woodland Creation Offer

All you need to know about the Forestry Commission’s flagship national tree planting grant.

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The England Woodland Creation Offer

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is a national flagship grant scheme administered by the Forestry Commission which encourages investment in the creation and long-term management of woodland on areas as small as one hectare.

EWCO covers standard capital costs up to £10,200 per hectare, with stackable payments of up to £8,000 per hectare for tree planting projects that support wider benefits to society, nature recovery, and the environment.

Find out if you are eligible for the England Woodland Creation Offer.

How to apply

Contact your local Woodland Creation Team and provide the following information:

  • name and contact details
  • location of land (postcode or grid reference)
  • size of proposed woodland area (ha) 
  • contact details of forest or land agent (if applicable) 

Yorkshire and North East
YNEwoodlandcreation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

North West and West Midlands NWWMwoodlandcreation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

East and East Midlands
EEMwoodlandcreation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

South East and London
SELwoodlandcreation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

South West
SWwoodlandcreation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

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Planning to plant trees along rivers or watercourses?

The Woodlands for Water advisors are on hand to provide expert assistance and advice for riparian tree planting projects. Many river catchments are eligible across the country; find out if you can support your local watercourse by planting trees.

Find out more

Woodland Creation FAQs

Can a variety of tree types be planted through woodland creation grants?
Yes. Planting different tree species can boost the health and resilience of your woodland and provide multiple benefits for your land as well as helping to capture carbon. Woodland Creation Officers provide expert advice around tree selection so you can be sure to plant the right tree, in the right place, for the right reason.
Does tree planting require taking productive agricultural land out of use?
No. Planting trees doesn’t have to come at the expense of food production or of taking high-grade agricultural land out of use. In fact, creating woodland and producing food can work hand-in-hand. Well-placed, well-designed and well-managed woodland can support the foundations of food production: healthy soil, cleaner water, and biodiverse ecosystems. Tree planting can also offer opportunities to diversify, generate extra income, increase farm production and enhance farmland, all while complementing food production.
Can tenant farmers apply for tree planting grants? 
Yes. As a tenant farmer you can apply for and receive Woodland Creation grants provided that you and your landlord are in mutual agreement of the tree planting proposals.
How does the England Woodland Creation Offer fit into the upcoming ELM schemes?
It was confirmed in August 2022 that EWCO will transfer into ELM, with future design and approach to payment rates largely mirroring those within the England Woodland Creation Offer. There is no time like the present, both economically as well as environmentally, to start tree planting projects.
Do the woodland creation grants support small-scale tree planting?
Yes. The range of woodland creation grants on offer support the planting of a variety of woodland types and sizes. Many of our Woodland Creation Partners offer support for small-scale tree planting from 0.1 hectares and EWCO accepts applications from 1 hectare in blocks of 0.1 hectares upwards.
What kind of support is available to farmers to looking to start tree planting projects? 
Regardless of the grant you choose, specialist Woodland Creation Officers are on hand to provide free expert advice to support the creation and long-term management of your woodland, helping you to make the right decisions for your land and business.
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Woodland Creation Partner Catchment Areas

England’s Community Forests

Thirteen forests located across England broadly covering:

  • Bedfordshire
  • Swindon
  • West Nottinghamshire
  • Merseyside and North Cheshire
  • Greater Manchester
  • Bristol, Bath and the West of England
  • Staffordshire and the West Midlands
  • Hull, East Yorkshire, and North Lincolnshire
  • East London and South West Essex
  • Leeds City Region and North and West Yorkshire
  • Plymouth and South Devon
  • Newcastle, Gateshead, North and South Tyneside, Sunderland, and Durham
  • Cumbria

Forest for Cornwall

Covering the county of Cornwall.

Great Northumberland Forest

Covering Northumberland.

National Forest

Covering 200 square miles of the Midlands, spanning parts of Derbyshire, Leicestershire, and Staffordshire.

The Northern Forest

Covering 10,000 square miles from Liverpool and Chester to Hull, through Manchester, Salford, Bradford, Leeds and Sheffield, as well as Lancashire, much of North Yorkshire and parts of Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Lincolnshire.

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