TE7: Tree guard (wood post and rail)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the tree guard (wood post and rail) item.

From:
Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
Published
2 April 2015
Last updated
5 August 2024 — See all updates
Grant type:
Capital item
Land use:
Priority habitats, Trees (non-woodland) and Uplands
Tiers or standalone items:
Higher Tier and Mid Tier
Funding (per unit per year):
£101 to £200

This item is part of Capital Grants 2024. You must read the Capital Grants 2024 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£109.64 per guard

How this item benefits the environment

This item protects trees from damage caused by grazing animals and wild animals.

Where you can use this item

You can only use this item on trees in a land parcel if you’re already using the land parcel for:

You can only also use this item when planting trees with these capital items:

You cannot use this item with:

What you must do to use this item

You must erect tree guards at least 2 metres (m) high which have:

  • 4 treated timber corner posts
  • 5 centimetres (cm) diameter top and middle rails
  • a bottom rail if grazing animals are likely to get underneath the guard
  • posts placed so grazing animals cannot reach within 0.5m of the tree stem
  • a single strand of barbed wire along the top rail to prevent animals rubbing against the guard

You must also:

  • fasten sheep netting (or 3 strands of taut plain or barbed wire) to the corner posts between the middle and top rails, and between the middle rail and the bottom rail
  • use sheep netting instead of barbed wire between the middle rail and the bottom rail if sheep are likely to graze the parcel
  • design the tree guard to allow access for formative pruning, applying mulch and clearing vegetation around the base of each tree

You must not:

  • fasten guards to the tree
  • attach guards so they rub against, constrict or damage the tree in any other way

Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.

You must also keep and provide on request:

  • any consents or permissions connected with the work
  • receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
  • photographs of existing trees to be protected

Please see the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

Updates to this page

Published 2 April 2015
Last updated 5 August 2024 + show all updates

  1. TBC

  2. Updates made to the 'Where to use this item' section.

  3. Updated for 2017 applications.

  4. Information updated for applications in 2016.

  5. First published.

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