Create a woodland management plan
Find out how to create a woodland management plan. This will help you plan and develop a sustainable woodland, and can be used for grant and felling licence applications.
Applies to England
A woodland management plan gives land managers a structured way to plan and organise the sustainable management of woodland to a common industry standard.
If you’re writing a woodland management plan with grant funding, you need to have your grant agreement in place before you start work on your plan.
If you’re drafting your plan for a Countryside Stewardship (CS) Higher Tier application, you must use the full woodland management plan template, even if your woodland is smaller than 3 hectares.
The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) sets out the UK government’s approach to sustainable forestry and woodland management, including standards and requirements, regulations and monitoring, and reporting. It applies to all woodland and woodland operations, regardless of who owns or manages it.
Benefits of a woodland management plan
A woodland management plan can help you:
- plan, develop and communicate your work objectives and work proposals for your woodland
- demonstrate how you will manage and monitor your woodland area sustainably
- apply for grant schemes that require an approved management plan in place before you apply
- plan for and receive a felling licence for up to 10 years of felling, by using the plan of operations, which is part of the woodland management plan
How to produce a woodland management plan
You should include all woodland on your property, in your woodland management plan.
For woodland management plans up to 3 hectares use the ‘small woodland plan template’ (excluding CS Higher Tier applications):
For woodland management plans between 3 and 10 hectares, use either the small woodland management plan template or the full woodland management plan template.
For woodland over 10 hectares, and CS Higher Tier applications, use the full woodland management plan template:
You can apply for a grant to help fund the production of a woodland management plan for woodland over 0.5 hectares. Read more about Countryside Stewardship PA3: woodland management plan.
If you apply for this grant, you must use the ‘full woodland management plan template’, regardless of your woodland size.
If you do not intend to apply for the grant, use the small woodland plan template for woodlands up to 10 hectares. You can still apply for a felling licence.
Using non-Forestry Commission woodland plan templates
For non-Forestry Commission woodland plan templates that do not match our woodland plan template, use this . It explains the UKFS criteria being assessed.
Non-Forestry Commission woodland plan templates are not eligible for ‘Countryside Stewardship PA3: woodland management plan’ capital funding.
Complete the inventory and plan of operations worksheet
For all woodland plan template types (excluding small woodland), complete the inventory and plan of operations worksheet. It sets out your woodland inventory and must relate directly to compartments and sub-compartments shown on your maps.
The plan of operations also gathers information relating to felling and restocking and is needed to issue a felling licence.
There are 2 versions of the worksheet to choose from:
- will show when data is entered incorrectly, so you can make corrections straight away
- will allow you to enter data more freely but will not check for errors (your worksheet could be returned to you to correct any errors)
You must use version 4 (V4) of the worksheets, older versions could be rejected.
Produce maps
You need maps to support your woodland management plan. Use several maps to show a variety of topics or themes affecting your woodland. Make sure each compartment you show on the map is in the inventory of the plan of operations.
You can create a map by:
- requesting a map using the Forestry Commission map request service
- using myForest service
- using your own Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Ensure you have the right to use any maps submitted to us for commercial purposes.
Use the Forestry Commission guide to complete the plan template
Read , which includes guidance on:
- completing the Forestry Commission plan template
- the inventory and plan of operations worksheet
- your associated maps
This guide is for creating a UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) compliant management plan. Read it thoroughly and refer to it regularly.
What to include in a CS Higher Tier application
If you’re drafting your plan for a Countryside Stewardship (CS) Higher Tier application, read the . It will help you understand what to include in your plan.
Your woodland management plan must support and validate your CS Higher Tier application.
You must use the ‘full woodland management plan’ template.
Submit your spatial data
If you have created spatial data for your maps in GIS software, for example a shapefile, you can submit it to the Forestry Commission. Although this is not essential, spatial data can help speed up the approval process.
Send your spatial data to the Operational Delivery Team Hub with your application.
Follow instructions in your GIS software to export the spatial data from your map into a .zip file.
Email us the .zip file with your application documents.
By sending us your spatial data, you agree we can use the data for any purpose needed to process and assess your management plan.
As a public authority we are subject to Freedom of Information and Environmental Information Regulations. We may be required to disclose any information we hold in compliance with the open information legislation.
Check if your woodland is designated or has special features
If your land has designated areas or special features, you need to provide details on an annotated map within your plan.
You can use the following search tools to check if your woodland is designated or has special features.
Magic map
Use Natural England’s ‘MAGIC’ map to check if your woodland is designated, for example, as a site of special scientific interest (SSSI).
You can also search for other features (such as scheduled monuments, priority habitats and species) and information such as Countryside Stewardship scheme details in your area.
The Land Information Search (LIS)
Use the Forestry Commission’s Land Information Search (LIS) to check for land designations or features that might already apply to your woodland. Examples of these features include previous felling schemes and grant schemes.
Further forestry checks
Learn how to identify common constraints and designations within your woodland management plan area, and how to rectify them, read:
Get support for woodland on a SSSI
Find out how the Forestry Commission supports you if you do own woodland on an SSSI.
SSSIs are protected by law to conserve their flora, fauna or geological features. You must declare designations because some require consent before you begin work on your proposed plans.
If you fail to disclose any designations or features, you may be acting illegally.
Example woodland management plans
See examples of completed woodland management plans:
Authorise an agent to act on your behalf
If you choose to appoint an agent to develop your woodland management plan you must sign a form to give them authority to act for you when dealing with the Forestry Commission. Submit an agent authority form as part of your application for funding.
If you’re applying for Countryside Stewardship funding, you’ll also need to set agent permission levels. Use the Rural Payments service to appoint an agent to act on your behalf.
Submission checklist
Email or post your draft woodland management plan to the Operational Delivery Team Hub covering your area.
Make sure you include the correct documents for your woodland management plan:
1). Woodland management plan template
The correct woodland management plan template must be sent in an editable format, such as MS Word, ODT, or via MyForest (editable PDF). Use either:
- small template for woodlands 0ha to 3ha
- small or full template for woodlands 3 to 10ha
- full template for woodlands over 10ha and all CS Rural Payments Agency funded plans
Include the Forestry Commission cover sheet if you’re using a non-Forestry Commission template. Use the Forestry Commission, or MyForest, template for CS Rural Payments Agency funding.
2). Maps
Maps with highlighted compartment boundaries, including:
- location maps
- compartment maps
- operations maps and constraints maps
- shapefiles of your map, if possible
3). Agent authority form
For all plans where an agent is acting on your behalf.
4). Inventory plan of operations (v4)
For all applications with a felling licence, except small woodland management plans (less than 3ha).
Contact the Forestry Commission
Your local woodland officer can give you advice on completing a woodland plan. They can also arrange a pre-draft site visit, if needed.
Your nearest Operational Delivery Team Hub offers guidance on processes and timings and your application.
Updates to this page
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Added new versions of woodland management plan template, non-Forestry Commission cover sheet, and the guide on creating a woodland management plan. These were updated to reflect Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier changes. Removed the plan submission proforma. Small edits also made to improve layout including a new 'submission checklist'.
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Added an updated version of the checking guide.
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Replaced Inventory and plan of operations spreadsheets with updated versions.
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Added new section on submitting shapefile data. Added new versions of the full woodland management plan template and the inventory and plan of operations.
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Replaced examples with new versions.
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Added alternative formats for 2 forms: 'small woodland plan template' and 'full woodland management plan template'.
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Document updated: 'Checking aid for your Woodland Management Plan when Applying for Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier'.
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New paragraph added and the attachment 'WMP checking aid to support an application for CS Higher Tier'.
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First published.