Forestry Commission increases tree grants

30 September 1998

Forestry Commission increases tree grants

By FWi staff

THE Forestry Commission has launched a new incentive in response to farmers claims that grant applications are often too costly to be worth bothering with.

The new scheme will pay farmers up to £2500/ha on top of existing grants to plant trees in Englands National Forest.

The additional money will be offered alongside the current National Forest Tender Scheme, run by the National Forest Company and the Forestry Commission.

The tender scheme has been criticised by some farmers and landowners who are reluctant to suffer the uncertainties and cost associated with preparing what could be an unsuccessful tender.

David Bills, Forestry Commission director general, said the new scheme would avoid the competition element of the tender scheme and offered an enhanced, additional fixed-sum grant.

The new supplement will provide varying levels of grant according to the size of woodland being planted. It will be open for applications from 1 November.

The National Forest project aims to increase the amount of woodland by over 200 square miles in Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire.