Woodland Planning Grant

 

Purpose

Woodland Planning Grant (WPG) contributes to the costs of producing management plans for existing woodlands that meet the planning requirements of the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.

Aims

• To help owners to realise their own objectives, and help them access England Rural Development Programme grants and other forms of support.
• To capture a sufficiently complete picture in order that all decisions about woodland operations are efficient based on good evidence and are sustainable.
• To realise opportunities for sustaining and securing more public benefit from existing woodlands.
• To support those woodland owners who choose to seek independent certification to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.

Eligibility

• We must approve the application before you start to prepare the plan.
• Only one Plan per property can be funded.
• You must include all the existing woodlands on a property, of any age.  Your application will be ineligible if you fail to include all of your woodland in the application.
• The total woodland area under the Plan must be 3ha or more.
• The final Plan must contain and clearly present all the information required by the Management Planning Template supplied by the FC (see below).
• You may show new planting proposals in a Plan but that area will not attract WPG.  You must apply separately for WCG.

Situations not eligible for WPG

• A Forest Plan under WGS has already been completed and had grant paid.
• Property is currently, or has been certified to the UK Woodland Assurance Standard.

Grant rates

Area of woodland on the property	Total grant
3 to 30 ha	£300 total
Over 30 ha and under 100ha	£10 per ha
Any additional area over 100ha	£5 per ha

Rates are the same for all regions in England

Documentation