Friends of the Ochils Newsletter 15: September 1999
The Woodland Grant Scheme
The government provides support for establishing and managing woodlands through the Woodland Grant Scheme (WGS). The Forestry Commission administers the WGS and regulates all aspects of woodland management. It grant-aids woodland work and aims to increase the production of wood, improve the landscape, provide new habitats for wildlife and offer opportunities for recreation and sport. It also aims to encourage the good management of forests and woodlands, especially ancient natural woodlands, as well as to provide jobs in rural areas and provide an alternative to agriculture.
Over the years the WGS has changed to encourage planting of broadleaf species. The WGS establishment grant now pays between £1050 and £1350 per hectare (ha), as compared with £700/ha for commercial conifers. In certain areas, an additional grant of up to £950/ha can be granted for the creation of woodlands which can be used for informal public recreation.
As well as encouraging planting new trees, WGS can pay an annual management grant of £35/ha as a contribution towards the costs of managing existing woods.
An additional tier of grants called Woodland Improvement Grants (WIG) allows existing woodlands to be managed for specific aims. WIG I encourages woodland owners to provide public access; WIG II is for the management of under-managed woodlands; WIG III is to encourage management to improve woodland biodiversity. These grants are for up to £10,000 to achieve one of the three aims. The Forestry Commission pays half of the costs and the landowner the other half.
The Woodland Grant Scheme acts as an incentive to land holders to manage land for woodlands and forestry. Many of the areas of woodland and almost all of the areas of commercial forestry that you see in the countryside will have been grant aided by the Forestry Commission. Over the years the WGS has changed. Environmental enhancement and conservation is now a major part of the scheme and native woodlands have a higher profile than they have ever had in the past.