[ARCHIVED CONTENT] Defra, UK - Farming - Environmental management - Landscape

Farming

Trees and woodland

The key issues surrounding trees and woodlands on farms are:

Single Payment Scheme
Environmental stewardship
Woodland grants
management and preservation
tree felling

Single Payment Scheme

Woodland is not normally eligible for payment under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), although in exceptional circumstances, such as grazed woodland, it may qualify.

SPS eligible woodland must be kept in Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition in accordance with Cross Compliance rules.

Eligible woodland must not be overgrazed and must also comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (Forestry) Regulations.

Woodland must be registered on the Rural Land Register to receive payments, although the specific requirements vary.

Environmental stewardship

Woodland is eligible for Entry Level Stewardship (ELS) payment, although only two options are available.

maintenance of a stock-proof woodland boundary to prevent livestock grazing and causing environmental damage
establishment of a woodland margin buffer of 2 metres on agricultural land adjacent to woodland edges

Landowners and managers should refer to the ELS handbook for details.

The Higher Level Stewardship (HLS) scheme can pay for woodland creation, restoration and maintenance.

However, woodland creation can only fund woodland blocks that are a maximum of 1 hectare, with a maximum of 3 hectares on a single holding.

Other HLS options relevant to trees and woodland include the creation, restoration and maintenance of wood pasture, scrub and orchards.

Options are also available for the restoration and maintenance of historic parkland; infield and boundary tree management; and heathland restoration from forestry plantations.

Details of these options can be found in the HLS handbook.

Woodland grants

Woodland grants are available under the Forestry Commission’s English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS), which replaced the Woodland Grant Scheme and Farm Woodland Premium Scheme in England.

Grants include the following:

Woodland Planning Grant for the preparation of plans that assist woodland management
Woodland Assessment Grant for the gathering of information to improve management decisions
Woodland Regeneration Grant for improving woodland through natural regeneration and restocking after felling
Woodland Improvement Grant for woodland work to create, enhance and sustain public benefits
Woodland Management Grant for cost of providing and sustaining better public benefits from existing woodlands

In addition, the creation of new woodlands which deliver public benefits is encouraged through the Woodland Creation Grant.

You can download guides from the EWGS homepage or call the EWGS advice line on 01223 346004 for an application pack.

An overview of the schemes is available in the document Funding for farm woodlands in England.

General preservation and management

Trees are protected through a combination of best practice woodland management and legislation.

The Forestry Commission has published a series of good practice guides for the management of semi-natural woodlands.

The Woodland Assurance Scheme sets out the standards which woodland owners and managers can use to certify woodland management.

Common questions about tree preservation procedures are outlined in the government leaflet Trees: A guide to tree preservation procedures.

The Forestry Commission has produced a detailed guide on the restoration of native woodland on ancient woodland sites, and a number of guidance sheets to help minimise damage to woodlands, including:

Landowners with veteran trees should refer to the English Nature leaflet Veteran Trees: A guide to risk and responsibility.

Felling

A felling licence from the Forestry Commission is required to fell trees. It is an offence to fell trees without a licence if an exemption does not apply.

A felling licence will normally include conditions that the felled area must be restocked and the trees maintained for a period not exceeding ten years.

Only in exceptional circumstances will a licence be issued to fell trees without subsequent restocking.

Further information and guidance regarding licences are contained in the Forestry Commission leaflet Tree felling - Getting permission.

Other legal controls on trees include Tree Preservation Orders and Hedgerow Regulations. Tree owners should contact their local planning authority which administers this legislation.

Safety issues covering the chain-saw felling and crown breakdown of large trees are included in the Health and Safety Executive leaflet Chainsaws at work.

Specialist advice should be sought in exceptional situations where a risk assessment shows advanced or alternative felling techniques are required beyond those normally applied to large trees.