Farmers and land managers can now get up to £11,600 per hectare for the public benefits delivered by woodlands they create – a 45% increase – under the England Woodland Creation Offer.
The change has been introduced by Defra and the Forestry Commission as the latest step to increase tree-planting across the country.
Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said: “There has never been a better time for farmers and land managers to plant and grow more trees, and these announcements make it clear that woodland creation is a compelling part of the business of land management. I encourage everyone eligible to take advantage of the generous woodland creation incentives now available.
“In addition to encouraging woodland creation away from most productive land, it is important to remember that trees and woodlands can support farming objectives – for instance providing shade and shelter, improving productivity through healthy soil and water, reducing erosion and nutrient loss from surface run-off, or improving drought and flood resilience.”
The increase in EWCO payment rates will take effect immediately and offer farmers and land managers more tailored tree-planting incentives to encourage woodland creation where it is best suited, whilst also protecting our most productive farmland for food production.
This is a key part of the Government’s plans to achieve net zero by 2050 and put nature at the forefront of its efforts to tackle climate change. The current maximum rate per hectare available from additional contributions will increase from £8,000 to £11,600 – a 45% increase. That will increase to £12,700 in stackable payments if the land is also eligible for the new Low Sensitivity Land Payment. Standard costs payments will remain at up to £10,200 per hectare.
As part of the enhanced package, key new measures include:
- A new payment to encourage EWCO applications on low sensitivity land has been introduced, avoiding land most suitable for food production. When planting on low sensitivity land you can now receive £1,100 per hectare.
- A new ‘Nature Recovery – premium’ payment option (£3,300 per hectare) has been added to the Nature Recovery Additional Contribution. This is designed to encourage the planting or natural colonisation of highly biodiverse woodlands next to ancient woodland.
- Uplifts have also been made to some of the other existing additional contributions, with a focus on riparian buffers, flood mitigation and access. For example; payments for flood risk management have doubled from £500 to £1,000 per hectare, and recreational access has increased from £2,200 to £3,700.
- Annual maintenance payments have been raised from £350 to £400 per hectare, per year, for 15 years – recognising that caring for new trees is vital if new woodlands are to flourish.
