It's a bright future for tree planting in Wales, says Coed Cadw (the Woodland Trust)

23 October 2010

New Glastir Woodland Creation grant scheme offers up to £9,000 per hectare for planting native trees.

Welsh farmers have welcomed the Welsh Assembly Government's new Glastir Woodland Creation grant scheme, which offers up to £9,000 per hectare for planting native trees.

Launched in October 2010, the new Glastir Woodland Creation grant scheme encourages and supports woodland creation in Wales. The scheme is available now and is open to all landowners, whether farmers or not, and whether or not they are within the Glastir agri-environmental scheme.

The scheme was launched by the Welsh Rural Affair Minister Elin Jones and is aimed at delivering the Welsh Assembly's target of creating 100,000 ha of new native and mixed woodland over the next 20 years, to help soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and also to make the Welsh landscape more resilient to the effects of climate change.

The scheme includes a planting grant over the first three years, an income foregone payment over 15 years and also a payment of £3.15 per metre for new fencing. The rates vary depending on the type of trees planted and are higher for registered farmers. Full details are available on the Welsh Assembly Government website.

One Welsh farmer who has welcomed the scheme is Andy Kehoe, who runs a 120 acre farm at Llandygái near Bangor. He says: "I really like the idea that the assembly is supporting tree planting. Trees on the farm are a crop that everyone wins with, firewood, shelter, conservation and after a few years materials for tools and buildings (they look good too). Small areas we planted 10 years ago are now producing wood for burning, shelter for stock and poles for tools. Assembly keep it up please with encouragement for existing woodland areas as well."

Clare Morgan, woodland creation manager with Coed Cadw says: "There are a huge number of good reasons why planting small areas of trees makes sense on Welsh farms. Trees can provide a renewable supply of free firewood to keep the farmhouse warm as energy prices rise. They can form shelterbelts to protect livestock from wind, rain and sunshine. They can provide a haven for bees and other pollinators as well as birds and other wildlife. They can help prevent flooding and tackle diffuse pollution. They can soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and so help mitigate climate change.

"What's new now is that, making use of EU money, the Welsh Assembly Government will pay for farmers and other landowners to plant trees, and at a very generous rate."

However, with the deadline for applications for the Glastir agri-environmental scheme fast approaching on 22 November, Clare has one particular worry: "With grant rates of up to £9,000 per hectare, Glastir Woodland Creation will be an attractive option for many farmers. But the scheme is new and many farmers may not be fully aware of it before they submit their Glastir forms in November. So the risk is that they may commit some of their land to other, non-woodland Glastir options before discovering what a good deal Glastir Woodland Creation is.

"So our advice to farmers is to check out Glastir Woodland Creation now. There's information on the Welsh Assembly Government's website at: http://wales.gov.uk/splash;jsessionid=Nw9QNv1JQ0T2tXhpRT70cMLv5hhDyT1JrM1GVdb9qL1kjckztl18!-670654171?orig=/

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