New Funding for Farms and Landowners
Did you know Forest for Cornwall can now fully fund your tree planting ambitions using our New Woodland Creation Fund?
Forest for Cornwall (F4C) has been chosen as one of only two new Woodland Creation Partnerships funded by Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund. F4C can now support the creation of 385 Ha (951 Acres) of new tree canopy by 2025!
The aim of the fund is to help landowners overcome existing funding barriers and make planting happen. Along with the many benefits that woodland creation can bring on your land. If you want to plant trees we want to help.
F4C can support you through two innovative new schemes:
The F4C Tree and Woodland Fund
We aim to provide technical and financial support to 125 farmers and landholders in the next 3 years. The ambition is to establish 235 ha. (580 acres) of new trees and woodland across Cornwall.
We will provide consultancy support free of charge. Once appointed, a consultant will work with you offering expert guidance. They will:
- undertake site visits
- complete landowner assessments
- produce planting plans
- identify the best funding options for you
- make any funding applications
- engage a contractor
- supply a maintenance plan
Landowner assessments consider your land as a whole. (Including any designations or legal constraints.) They look at creating the highest environmental benefit from your project. Most importantly - this is your venture! Your needs and requirements are the most important factor for success. There is no restriction on the type of planting. Each project will be assessed on its merits. This includes the scale and the benefits to habitat, landscape and water quality.
Once plans are finalised and agreed with you and the F4C team, you might decide to submit a tree planting grant application. We will pay the consultant to apply on your behalf.
If the application is successful, the consultant or F4C will source and engage contractors to carry out the planting. (This may be affected by the type of fund you apply for). You can also carry out the works yourself and be paid on the basis of standard costs, once the work has been approved.
Funding for ongoing maintenance is also available. EWCO schemes will pay for 10 years of maintenance. F4C schemes offer a payment for 3 years of maintenance. These payments require the landowner to agree to checks and to provide a yearly photographic record.
If you do not wish to proceed with the application, you will not be charged for any costs.
The closing date for applications is September 2024, but we are limited to 125 projects. The landowner will need to make the application. A tenant can also apply if they have the written permission of the landowner.
If existing grant schemes do not fit your plans, F4C can still provide funding. If you want to plant trees we want to help.
Agroforestry Exemplar Projects
F4C is aiming to fully fund 10 pilot planting projects. This is to demonstrate how trees and woodland can become part of farming. This will support landholders to create 150 ha (370 acres) of new agroforestry in the next 3 years.
Each landholder will work with a fully funded consultant to carry out all the required surveys and applications. They will source and plant trees. There will be further funds for maintenance costs and project reports.
These pilot sites will provide valuable information and experiences. These can be shared to provide guidance and inspiration for future projects.
Successful funding bids will agree that Cornwall Council can share this information with DEFRA and other partners. They will be demonstration sites with an open book policy.
Carbon credits for both funds: if your project is large enough your consultant may be able to assist with this.
Spaces are limited. To register an interest and for further details please complete our Contact Us form
Agroforestry In Cornwall
Agroforestry is a subject of increasing interest to those wishing to incorporate trees into their farming systems for the wide range of environmental benefits they bring, whilst providing additional benefits to the farm business. The subject is of interest to the Forest for Cornwall Programme team because it offers a practical way of building the tree cover of the Duchy without displacing the existing farming land use.
The technicalities of achieving a successful agroforestry project on a parcel of land are many and varied depending on location, desired outcomes and farming systems. This page has been set up to provide resources to help farmers in planning and understanding agroforestry, and to provide a forum for people to share learning and ideas to help each other to achieve the benefits of agroforestry.
Forest for Cornwall will continue to provide information on this site relating to new literature, sources of assistance and details of events. Please participate by adding your projects to the map below, completing our survey and putting any information or comments you think may be of use to others on the forum. The more you participate, the better the outcomes.
In July 2021 Forest for Cornwall hosted a live online Q and A event called Agroforestry in Cornwall, which was attended by Ben Raskin and Luke Dale-Harris - two of the leading experts in UK agroforestry. A recording of the event, and the break-out room discussions is provided in the Video links on this page - it provides a good foundation in agroforestry and answers some common questions - worth a watch!
