Trees
If you have a school, passionate individual or community group approach you about potential tree planting, you can signpost them to the tree planting section in the community resources section which highlights how schools can get free trees from the Woodland trust.
For local and parish councils, there are a variety of different schemes which offer support which are outlined below.
Why plant trees?
Well designed new woodlands not only capture CO2 but deliver a wide range of other benefits too.
Sustainably managed woodlands perform a vital role as carbon sinks by capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and storing it in the trees and the soil.
Beyond carbon, all trees and woodlands – including in our towns and cities – provide a huge range of other benefits.: They improve air quality; help keep our homes cool by reducing the ‘urban heat island’ effect; provide timber, wood and wood fibre products offer opportunities for people to reconnect with nature; provide spaces to improve health and well-being; help to reduce flood risk; and can reduce the costs of water treatment.
How?
The government offers grants to make woodland creation a cost effective part of the solution to meeting net-zero carbon emissions.
The woodland creation planning grant provides funding for woodland areas larger than 10 hectares. This grant provides funding to prepare a Woodland Creation Design Plan that complies with the UK Forestry Standard which can subsequently be used to support further woodland creation grant applications.
The Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) provides funding to support the planting and establishment of large and small trees in urban and peri-urban areas. The fund offers up to 50% of published standard costs. The UTCF is a challenge fund and applicants are required to provide at least 50% of match funding from other sources, which can be in the form of money or labour. Eligible places can be viewed here if you click the “UTCF Trees close to people layer” but includes many places all across Devon.
The Countryside Stewardship Woodland Creation Grant is a capital grant through which applicants can apply for one-off payments for the new trees, any associated protection items and support towards infrastructure to help the establishment of a new woodland. Once the woodland is planted and the final capital claim is paid, eligible applicants can apply for a separate multi-year grant to maintain to the newly created woodland for 10 years.
