Farm Woodland Scheme

 

The Farm Woodland Scheme (FWS) was introduced in 1988 to encourage farmers to plant new woodlands on land formerly in agricultural use.  Under the scheme, annual payments are made to farmers who converted agricultural land to woodlands to compensate them for loss of agricultural income. Farmers also received planting grants from the Forestry Commission under the Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS) to cover the initial cost of establishing woodlands.
Annual payments started approximately one year after planting and are payable annually, in arrears, for up to 40 years. In 1992 the Farm Woodland Scheme was replaced by the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme (FWPS).

FWS Payment Rates

Arable/improved grassland

Severely Disadvantaged Areas (also known as Original Less Favoured Areas)	£100 per hectare per annum
Disadvantaged Areas (also known as Extended Less Favoured Areas)	£150 per hectare per annum
Elsewhere	£190 per hectare per annum

Unimproved Land

Less Favoured Areas (whether Severely Disadvantaged or Disadvantaged Areas)

£30 per hectare per annum

The FWS is part funded by the EU and all FWS payments are in addition to woodland establishment grants made under the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme.

FWS 7 Successor's Application (PDF 77kb)
FWS Summary (PDF 39kb)