This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.
The desired outcomes are to create high quality, multi-purpose woodlands with good quality, well designed and managed resilient woodlands. Creating spaces and walks accessible to people and involving the community. The aim is to connect woodlands in Wales whilst demonstrating learning, research and innovation.
- The scheme provides grants to enhance and expand existing woodlands and create new woodlands in accordance with the UK Forestry Standard, which have the potential to become part of the National Forest in the future. This means woodlands that are well-managed, accessible to people and give local communities the opportunity to get involved.
- The grant provides 100% funding.
- The maximum grant award per application is up to £250,000 and the minimum is £10,000.
- The capital budget for this window is £2.5 million, plus revenue budget of £250k.
- It is expected any necessary consents or permissions where required, such as environmental impact assessments or planning permission, need to be in place before applying to the scheme or close to being achieved.
- The project and costs incurred must be complete by 31 March 2022.
Projects seeking funding must align with these outcomes and make a contribution to the overarching long-term vision for a National Forest that:
- extends the length and breadth of Wales; can provide many opportunities by planting, growing and protecting trees, such as:
- contributing to decarbonisation goals and the climate change emergency;
- halting the decline of biodiversity;
- improve health and wellbeing of our people;
- supporting commercial business activity such as timber production, recreation and tourism.
The following will need to be submitted:
- Online Form
- Quotes for each investment item
- Accounts for three consecutive years immediately preceding the date of the application
- Woodland Management Plan.
The following may also need to be submitted in support of the application if required:
- Planning permissions.
- Map showing the site of the project and location of the capital works.
- Photographs of the site and location of the capital works.
- Designs of the site following works.
- Woodland Creation Plan.
- Environmental Impact Assessments and/or habitat surveys. Version: 1 Issue Date: July 2021 Issued By: Welsh Government 4
- Evidence of certification and awards in place to support the woodland potentially becoming part of the National Forest in the future e.g. UKWAS, FSC, WCC, green flag award.
- Evidence of competitive tendering exercises for goods or services.
- Evidence of procurement exercises.
- Evidence of other cost comparisons.
- Job Descriptions.
- Terms and Conditions of employment.
- Details of key project delivery staff.
- Copy of the Memorandum & Articles (Required if the business is an incorporated legal entity).
- Any type of statutory permission necessary for the activity to take place.
Examples of eligible capital costs are provided below, but to note this is not a definitive list and all items of expenditure will be considered on a case by case basis:
- purchasing of trees, shrubs and other plants to create, expand or enhance woodland areas;
- preparation of a site such as fencing, clearing litter, removing invasive non-native species;
- constructing accessible pathways and gates with a commitment to keep open and maintain for at least 20 years, if not indefinitely;
- creating nature / educational trails;
- creating spaces to support and view nature;
- the cost of labour associated with any activities related to the enhancement and/or creation of the woodland area;
- signage/ interpretation boards;
- benches/ seating;
- compostable toilets;
- bike racks;
- tools/ small scale equipment (works which require larger equipment / specialised skills will need to be contracted in and funded through this scheme);
- land purchase where no more than 10% of the total project cost;
- project delivery (e.g. project planning, procurement of materials, financial management of the project) where no more than 10% of the total project cost;
- Welsh language provision e.g. costs of translation;
- the costs of promoting the woodland to the wider community e.g. printing leaflets;
- tracks (only if clear evidence of need for public access);
- roads (only if clear evidence of need for public access);
- car park (only if clear evidence of need for public access).
Tilhill can support you by accessing grants and planning a new woodland:
Tilhill has the experience and knowledge to be able to guide you through the whole woodland creation process. We are skilled in helping our clients to purchase the right property to suit their requirements. We can then design the woodland or forest to meet the owner’s specific objectives, apply for grants, carry out any survey work, create planting plans and choose the right species to suit each location – as well as carrying out the actual planting works and providing ongoing protection, maintenance and advice.
Get in touch for a call back using the enquiry form below.
No Fields Found.Our Wales Team
