Tree planting, capital funding and income potential

This event is an opportunity to discuss the Cluster's current work with Network Rail and Forestry Commission (FC) to develop a 'consortium' application for an England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) tree planting grant scheme in the Evenlode Valley.

This is a pilot (another 'pilot within our LR pilot') run by Network Rail and the FC to aggregate farmer EWCO applications into one consolidated (consortium) application under Network Rail's name.  This is less burdensome on the farmer, is more efficient to be assessed by FC, and enables what would otherwise be plantings too small for grant funding, to be aggregated and funded.  An optioneering model developed by Network Rail will be demonstrated, and we can refer to our local treescapes model, too.

From the Landscape Recovery perspective, it could help us deliver some tree planting objectives and more effectively achieve 'the right tree in the right place'.

Whilst typically we think of block planting for woodland grants, we'll explore other options such as riparian, double-hedgerows, agroforestry, short rotation coppice, natural succession/ecological abandonment etc. This event will refer to examples of stacking/bundling of payments and benefits on top of the EWCO grant.

We also expect to discuss other funding mechanisms, such as Biodiversity Netgain (BNG) and Countryside Stewardship, as well as deer and squirrel management, and landscape/visual considerations of tree planting in the Cotswold National Landscape.