Forest Environments – The Woodland Environment Grant and the Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant
The Woodland Environment Grant and Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant are funded under Axis 2 of the Rural Development Programme and delivered by DARD.
The grants provide assistance towards the management of existing woodland.
The Woodland Environment Grant aims to enhance biodiversity, improve the public amenity of woodlands and assist in achieving their expansion, maintenance, enhancement and restoration.
The Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant aims to support forest environment actions to improve the ecosystems within private forests and woodlands and prevent damage by domestic and wild animals. This includes ongoing maintenance required to control invasive species and for the clearance of stream sides and other open ground.
Who can apply?
The Woodland Environment Grant and Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant schemes are open to woodland owners with at least one hectare of existing woodland.
What funding is available?
The Woodland Environment Grant is a one-off capital payment and is discretionary. Payments of up to 50% of approved costs for a single project, supported by an appropriate appraisal, may be made. The maximum payment for a single project is £3,000.
The Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant is an annual payment. In normal circumstances, this will be at a rate of £50 per hectare per year, for a maximum of five years. In exceptional circumstances this rate may be increased to £120 per hectare, per year.
How do I apply?
The opening and closing dates for schemes/programmes supported by the Rural Development Programme are advertised and promoted widely. Please check the
When Can I Apply? section of the website for details of what schemes are open for applications. Depending on the scheme, application forms may be available for download.
Applications for the Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant must be supported by a five-year plan describing the specific objectives and eligible activities for those areas for which the grant is being sought.
What happens next?
When your application is received we will check to make sure that it is eligible and to see that it has been correctly completed and all relevant documents included.
If your application:
- passes these initial checks, we will acknowledge it;
- is incomplete, we will send it back highlighting the missing information, and we will only process it once all of the required information has been received;
- is ineligible, it will be rejected.
If your application is eligible, a forester will arrange to carry out a site visit to confirm suitability. If your application is successful, you will receive a letter of approval, an annotated map and a claim form.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a Woodland Environment Grant for carrying out normal woodland management operations?
No. Support under the Woodland Environment Grant will only be offered for projects which are over and above that normally regarded as good woodland management and do not lead to any significant increase in the value or profitability of the forestry holding.
When do I receive Forest Environment payments?
Woodland Environment Grant will be paid upon condition of competitively tendered and agreed costs for the project following verification and inspection of receipts.
Under the Sustainable Forestry Operations Grant scheme, applications totalling five hectares or less will receive the full payment at the end of the first year. For schemes over five hectares plans will be annualised over the agreement period and grant paid annually in arrears on condition of inspection and approval.
What type of operations qualify for a Forest Environments Grant?
Different types of projects will be considered under the Woodland Environment Grant scheme. However, all projects must demonstrate a contribution towards the objectives mentioned above. One such example is the control or eradication of invasive species such as rhododendron, which pose a threat to existing woodland ecosystems.
