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.

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.

Interested in wider farming grants?
Get paid for improving the environment alongside food production with The Sustainable Farming Incentive and other schemes.
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

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.
Back to topThe England Woodland Creation Offer
All you need to know about the Forestry Commission’s flagship national tree planting grant.
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
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.
Woodland Creation FAQs
Can a variety of tree types be planted through woodland creation grants?
Does tree planting require taking productive agricultural land out of use?
Can tenant farmers apply for tree planting grants?
How does the England Woodland Creation Offer fit into the upcoming ELM schemes?
Do the woodland creation grants support small-scale tree planting?
What kind of support is available to farmers to looking to start tree planting projects?
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.