Correspondence

eAlert: 27 April 2023

Published 24 May 2023

Applies to England

• Publication for Northern Ireland
• Publication for Scotland
• Publication for Wales

1. Apply to the Local Authority Treescapes Fund and Urban Tree Challenge Fund before 30 June

1.1 Apply by 30 June if you want to plant in the coming planting season

The Urban Tree Challenge Fund (UTCF) and Local Authority Treescapes Fund (LATF) are open and applications can be submitted at any time but will need to be received before 30 June 2023, if you want to plant trees in the coming planting season. We can only guarantee up to two years of funding for applications received on or before 30 June 2023. Applications received after that date will be considered for the planting season 24/25.

1.2 LATF Application Processing times

LATF applications take up to 4 months to be assessed and communicate your outcome. It will take a further 2 months to process and send the offer of funding, grant determination letter and Memorandum of Understanding. Please factor in these lead times to your planting plan. You are encouraged to apply as early as possible to maximise your time available for planting.

1.3 Updates to the LATF grant manual

We have recently updated the LATF Grant Manual changes include:

• updates to LATF eligibility requirements: although the land planted on with LATF doesn’t need to satisfy BPS eligibility criteria, if applicants applying to LATF wish to plant on BPS claim sites that are already within the Basic Payment Scheme they must check details around eligibility under the BPS scheme rules. For all other eligibility requirements please check the Grant Manual
• updates to LATF guidance on Miyawaki planting and third parties

Find out if you are eligible and submit your application now!

Local Authority Treescapes Fund

Urban Tree Challenge Fund

2. Don’t miss the application deadline for the Woodland Carbon Guarantee

2.1 Submit your application by 11:59pm on Sunday 30 April 2023.

You still have time to submit your application for the Woodland Carbon Guarantee, the next auction will take place from midday on Monday 15 May to midday on Sunday 21 May 2023.

The application deadline to take part in the auction is 11:59pm on Sunday 30 April 2023.

Woodland Carbon Guarantee.

3. Have you applied for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier this year?

3.1 Check your annex 2 capital values

If you have applied for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier this year the annex 2 will be showing incorrect capital values on the summary tab. The value for year one is the total value of the capital items that will be paid during the agreement. The value of the capital items on annex 2 is showing as revenue and therefore the capital value has been multiplied by five (for the five agreement years), this is incorrect and will not be the amount paid.

This will not impact your agreement and will be rectified during processing before the agreement documents are issued.

4. Join a webinar

Squirrel Impact Assessment training

UK Squirrel Accord  webinar to mark Plant Health Week!
10 May 2023 at 10am

Book your place

The National Forest’s Ed Hiorns provides an overview on using the grey squirrel impact and assessment methodology to assess bark stripping damage to trees in woods. This is the same method requested as part of WS3 – grey squirrel management grant funding.

5. Missed a webinar? Catch up here

• Tree Production Innovation Fund recording
• Woods into Management Forestry Innovation Funds recording

6. Farming Equipment and Technology Fund 2023

Are you eligible to apply for a grant for specific items of equipment and technology for: farming, horticultural or forestry businesses in England. The Farming Equipment and Technology Fund (FETF) 2023 grant is competitive, and you will not automatically get a grant.

Animal Health and Welfare items:

Submit your application using the Animal Health and Welfare portal by midday on 15 June 2023.

Find out more about the Farming Equipment and Technology Fund.