Tree health pilot scheme 2022
The tree health pilot (THP) scheme grants help slow the spread of tree pests and diseases. This guidance is for applicants and agreement holders in 2022.
Applies to England
The tree health pilot (THP) scheme 2022 is now closed for new applications.
This guidance is for those who applied in 2022 and THP scheme 2022 agreement holders.
Read the latest information about applying to the current tree health pilot scheme which is open for applications.
The tree health pilot (THP) scheme 2022 will test different ways of slowing the spread of pests and diseases affecting trees in England.
It expands on support already available through the Countryside Stewardship woodland tree health grant.
The results of the pilot, which runs from August 2021 to 2024, will help develop the future funding policy for tree health schemes.
Around 100 grant agreements will be allocated through a competitive application process.
Who can take part
The THP scheme is for people in certain regions of England who manage specific trees or woodlands infected by specific pests and diseases.
You can apply as an individual or on behalf of other people for a group grant (for example, if you’re from a local council, a charity or you’re a land agent).
You’ll usually be invited to take part in the pilot because you’ve been contacted by a Forestry Commission woodland officer. This will be because you have a specific tree, pest or disease on your land. For example, you might have been given a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) for trees infected by one of the specified pests or diseases.
If you’ve not been contacted by a Forestry Commission woodland officer and you read this guidance and think you’re eligible, you can express your interest to take part in the scheme.
If you are applying as an individual to take part in the THP scheme, you must be a:
- landowner
- occupier
- tenant
- landlord
- licensor
To take part in the pilot scheme, the trees or woodlands you, or your group (if relevant), manage must have one or more of the following:
- oak with oak processionary moth (OPM) in the Established Area (see map of the Established Area) within London and the South East)
- ash with ash dieback
- larch with Phytophthora ramorum
- spruce growing in the high-risk eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) area (see IPS demarcated area)
- sweet chestnut with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight
The trees or woodlands you manage must be based in one of the following regions of England:
- North West
- West Midlands
- South East and London
Priority may be given to applications within:
- the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) demarcated area
- the OPM established area
- specific areas of outstanding natural beauty (Arnside and Silverdale, Malvern hills, Shropshire hills, and all of the Lake District National Park)
If you’re not sure which region your trees or woodlands are located in, check the Area and Woodland Officer boundaries map.
If you already get other funding
If you already get funding from other agri-environment or woodland schemes, you can still take part in the THP scheme. The activities for the pilot must be different to the activities you’re already getting funding for. You cannot get paid twice for the same work or activities.
Do not spend money on any pilot activities before you have signed a grant agreement. If you do the work before the agreement is signed, you will lose the opportunity to get a grant.
Grants for trees in and outside of woodlands
If you join the THP scheme, you’ll get a grant to help pay back some of the costs of carrying out work, for example, to remove and replace diseased trees. The scheme covers trees both in woodlands and outside of woodlands, depending on the grant you apply for.
The Forestry Commission may change, add or remove tree types or pests and diseases, grants or rates of payment, throughout the duration of the pilot. Your grant agreement will not be affected by changes the Forestry Commission makes to the pilot after you’ve signed it.
Grant requirements for trees in woodland
If you’re applying for trees in a woodland, the group of trees you’re applying for must:
- cover at least 0.5 hectares
- be at least 5 metres high, or will grow to this height
- have a crown cover of more than 20% of the ground area
Grant requirements for trees outside woodland
Trees outside of woodlands are any trees or small woods which cover an area of less than 0.5 hectares. For example, trees in hedgerows, along a road or in parks.
Grant funding
Your grant application must have a minimum funding value of £500. Use the payment tables under each tree type to work out how much you want to apply for.
Some grants cover up to a percentage of ‘actual costs’ and others are based on ‘standard costs’. The payment tables will show you whether it’s one or the other.
Actual costs means the total amount it costs for you to carry out the work or buy goods and services.
Standard costs means a fixed rate which has been worked out based on the average market prices for buying or doing something.
For actual costs, you will need to provide the Forestry Commission with:
- photographic evidence of funded items and any activities
- evidence of incurred expenditure, for example, invoices and receipts
For standard costs you will only need to provide the Forestry Commission with photographic evidence of funded items and any activities. You will not need to provide evidence of incurred expenditure.
Economic assessments
To be eligible for Tree Health Pilot funding, your site(s) must be deemed uneconomical by the Forestry Commission.
If you have felling operations that generate income potential, the Forestry Commission will perform an economic assessment. The assessment will establish whether you can sell your timber and recover your felling costs.
If the assessment shows the cost of felling can be recovered from the sale of your timber, your site will be deemed economical. You will be advised your site(s) is ineligible for the pilot.
If the assessment shows the cost of felling cannot be recovered from the sale of your timber, your site will be deemed uneconomical. You will be invited to apply for conditional funding, if you meet all other pilot eligibility criteria.
If there is uncertainty over the economic status of your site(s) due to market fluctuations, you can apply for pilot funding. However, if your application is successful, the Forestry Commission will perform a full economic assessment on your site(s) when you claim. The outcome of the economic assessment will determine whether or not you receive funding.
When you claim, you will need to provide the Forestry Commission with:
- evidence of incurred expenditure to match your claim value
- details of income generated from the sale of your timber (including evidence of sale or justification for why your timber was not sold, if relevant)
The Forestry Commission will calculate your financial losses, funding up to the agreement value in your grant offer letter. If your income exceeds your expenditure (no financial loss is incurred) you will not receive pilot funding. You can read more information at Annex 2B in the Tree health pilot scheme: grant funding agreement terms and conditions.
Group grants for oak trees affected by oak processionary moth (OPM)
This grant supports a facilitator bringing together a group of people, to better understand the risks and hazards of oak processionary moth on their trees in the Established Area (see the map of the Established Area within London and the South East).
The facilitator will get financial support and advice to create a group OPM management plan. The plan will set out site-specific actions for individual group members and also area-based actions for the whole group.
If you would like to request a copy of the OPM management plan, email: thpilotenquiries@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Groups will also be supported by the Forestry Commission-run OPM workshops. Group members can learn from specialists and ask questions about how to manage oak trees with OPM and the risks they pose.
To apply for this grant you will need to:
- be part of a group
- make one group application
- have oak trees in the Established Area that may be affected by OPM
You can apply for a grant to pay back the costs of:
- your time spent acting as a facilitator for the group (for example, forming the group, creating the group’s OPM management plan, organising tree surveying)
- hiring contractors to survey the group’s oak trees to identify OPM
Grant payment rates: oak affected by OPM
|
Type of grant |
Trees in the Established Area |
|---|---|
|
Group facilitation |
£20 per hour |
|
Tree surveying |
100% of actual costs |
Grants for ash with ash dieback
You can only apply for these grants as part of a group application. Grants apply to ash with ash dieback, either roadside or along public footpaths, in and outside of woodlands.
There are no grants for felling ash with ash dieback. There are grants available to help with other costs associated with felling roadside ash, such as road closure costs.
If you need to fell ash trees, you’ll need to get a felling licence, unless the Forestry Commission confirms the ash trees are dangerous and exempt. Read about managing ash trees affected by ash dieback.
If you need to improve access to trees as you carry out work, you can apply for a road closure grant to pay for road closure costs. You’ll need to contact your local council to find out how road closures work and how much they cost in your area.
Funding for ash trees in and outside of woodlands
You can apply for grants to pay back the costs of:
- a European protected species site survey to plan how to fell and restock without causing harm or disturbing protected species (if you cannot avoid disturbing protected species, you’ll need a licence from Natural England)
- road closures while you fell your infected ash trees
- a facilitator’s time to manage a group application
- restocking and capital items to replace the trees with different tree species that are more likely to withstand pests, diseases and climate change, including items to protect them (for example, fencing and netting)
- maintenance, if you’ve applied for a restocking grant (this is paid at the end of your agreement year for 3 years, to help establish new trees)
Grant payment rates: ash with ash dieback
Use the table to work out which grants you want to apply for.
| Type of grant | Trees in woodlands | Trees outside of woodlands |
|---|---|---|
| Road closures | 60% of actual costs | 60% of actual costs |
| Facilitation | £20 per hour | £20 per hour |
| European protected species surveys | 80% of actual costs | 80% of actual costs |
| Restocking and capital items | Up to £5,000 per ha for ancient woodland sites, up to £3,930 per ha for other sites | £270.44 per large tree, £3.79 for feathers, £2.29 for whips |
| Maintenance (per year for 3 years) | £300 per ha | Up to £189 per large tree or £0.14 per feather or whip |
Grants for larch with Phytophthora ramorum
You can apply as an individual or as a group for grants for larch trees with Phytophthora ramorum in woodlands (more than 0.5ha).
If you own a group of larch trees (less than 0.5ha) infected with Phytophthora ramorum, you can apply as part of a group application. The total area of the larch trees in the group must be 0.5ha or larger.
Grants for individuals will pay back the costs of:
- infrastructure and access aids to improve access to your woodlands - for example, a temporary road surface so you can remove felled trees
- felling, for infected larch trees where you cannot sell the timber or recover your costs from selling it (you can only apply for this either with an infrastructure and access aids grant or if your trees are over the age of 25, or both)
- chemically killing the infected larch trees, if advised by the Forestry Commission
- biosecurity items, to prevent the spread of pests and diseases
You cannot get a restocking or capital items grant as part of an individual application for larch trees with Phytophthora ramorum in this pilot. You can apply for these grants through the Countryside Stewardship woodland tree health grant.
Grants for groups will pay back the same costs as the grants for individuals and:
- felling, for infected larch trees where you cannot sell the timber or recover your costs from selling it (including for larch under the age of 25)
- restocking and capital items to replace the trees with different tree species that are more likely to withstand pests, diseases and climate change, including items to protect them (for example, fencing and netting)
- maintenance, if you’ve applied for a restocking grant. This is paid at the end of your agreement year for 3 years to help establish new trees
- facilitation fees, for someone to manage the application on behalf of the group
Grant payment rates: larch with Phytophthora ramorum
Use the table to work out which grants you want to apply for.
| Type of grant | Individual applications | Group applications |
|---|---|---|
| Felling larch less than 25 years old | Between £260 and £1,680 per ha (this depends on the density and thickness of the trees and how you fell them). You only apply for this in combination with an infrastructure and access aids grant | Between £260 and £1,680 per ha (this depends on the density and thickness of the trees and how you fell them) |
| Felling larch 25 years old or over | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber |
| Chemical killing | £8.30 per tree | £8.30 per tree |
| Infrastructure and access aids | 40% of costs for permanent infrastructure or up 60% of temporary access aids | 40% of costs for permanent infrastructure or 60% of temporary access aids |
| Biosecurity items | 40% of costs for bought items or 60% for hired items | 40% of costs for bought items or 60% for hired items |
| Facilitation fees | Not available | £20 per hour |
| Restocking and capital items | Not available | Up to £5,000 for ancient woodland sites, up to £3,930 for other sites |
| Maintenance (per year for 3 years) | Not available | £300 per ha |
Grants for spruce with or at risk of eight-toothed spruce bark beetle
You can apply as an individual or a group for these grants. Grants apply to spruce with, or at risk of, eight-toothed spruce bark beetle in and outside of woodlands.
A number of non-competitive agreements will be available for sites under SPHN with eight-toothed spruce bark beetle. There are a limited number of these agreements, so when they run out, applications will be scored.
To apply, you’ll either:
- already have an infestation of eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (you’ll have an SPHN which confirms this)
- own or manage spruce trees or woodlands in an area at risk of infestation, known as the ‘demarcated area’ (you can check if your trees or woodlands are located in the demarcated area)
You can get these grants to pay back the costs of:
- felling trees (if you cannot sell the timber or recover your costs if you can sell it)
- infrastructure and access aids to improve access to your trees, for example, a temporary road surface so you can remove felled trees
- restocking and capital items to replace the trees with different tree species that are more likely to withstand pests, diseases and climate change, including items to protect them (for example, fencing and netting)
- maintenance, if you’ve applied for a restocking grant. This is paid at the end of your agreement year for 3 years to help establish new trees
- facilitation fees, for someone to manage the application for your group
Grant payment rates: spruce with or at risk of eight-toothed spruce bark beetle
Use the table to work out which grants you want to apply for.
| Type of grant | Trees in woodlands - individual applications | Trees in woodlands - group applications | Trees outside of woodlands - individual applications | Trees outside of woodlands - group applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felling | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber |
| Infrastructure and access aids | 40% of costs for permanent infrastructure, 60% of costs for temporary access aids | 40% for permanent infrastructure, 60% of costs for temporary access aids | 40% for permanent infrastructure, 60% of costs for temporary access aids | 40% for permanent infrastructure, 60% of costs for temporary access aids |
| Biosecurity items | 60% of costs for hired items, 40% of costs for bought items | 60% of costs for hired items, 40% of costs for bought items | Up to 60% of costs for hired items, up to 40% of costs for bought items | 60% of costs for hired items, 40% of costs for bought items |
| Facilitation fees | Not available | £20 per hour | Not available | £20 per hour |
| Restocking and capital items | Up to £5,000 per ha for ancient woodlands, and up to £3,930 per ha for other sites | Up to £5,000 per ha for ancient woodlands, and up to £3,930 per ha for other sites | £270.44 per large tree, £3.79 for feathers, £2.29 for whips | £270.44 per large tree, £3.79 for feathers, £2.29 for whips |
| Maintenance (per year for 3 years) | £300 per ha | £300 per ha | £189 per large tree, or £0.14 per feather or whip | £189 per large tree, or £0.14 per feather or whip |
Grants for sweet chestnut with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight
You can apply as an individual or as a group for these grants. Grants apply to sweet chestnut trees with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight in and outside of woodlands.
Sweet chestnut trees in woodlands
Individual grants will pay back the costs of:
- felling trees (if you cannot sell the timber or recover your costs if you can sell it)
- chemical killing of trees with Phytophthora ramorum, if advised by the Forestry Commission (they do not recommend the chemical killing of sweet chestnut trees with sweet chestnut blight)
- infrastructure and access aids to improve access to your trees - for example, a temporary road surface so you can remove felled trees
- biosecurity items to prevent the spread of pests and diseases
While you cannot get a restocking or capital items grant for individual applications as part of this pilot, you can apply for grants through the Countryside Stewardship woodland tree health grant.
Group grants will pay for everything that individual grants cover and:
- restocking and capital items to replace the trees with different tree species that are more likely to withstand pests, diseases and climate change, including items to protect them (for example, fencing and netting)
- maintenance, if you’ve applied for a restocking grant (it’s paid at the end of your agreement year for 3 years to help establish new trees)
Sweet chestnut trees outside of woodlands
You can apply for individual or group grants to pay back the costs of:
- felling trees (if you cannot sell the timber or recover your costs if you can sell it)
- chemical killing of trees with Phytophthora ramorum, if advised by the Forestry Commission (they do not recommend the chemical killing of sweet chestnut trees with sweet chestnut blight)
- infrastructure and access aids, to improve access to your trees, for example a temporary road surface so you can remove felled trees
- biosecurity items, to prevent the spread of pests and diseases
- restocking and capital items to replace the trees with different species that are more likely to withstand pests, diseases and climate change, including items to protect them (for example, fencing and netting)
- maintenance, if you’ve applied for a restocking grant (it’s paid at the end of your agreement year for 3 years to help establish new trees)
- facilitation fees, for someone to manage a group application
Grant payment rates: sweet chestnut with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight
Use the table to work out which grants you want to apply for.
| Type of grant | Trees in woodlands – individual applications | Trees in woodlands – group applications | Trees outside of woodlands – individual applications | Trees outside of woodlands – group applications |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Felling | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber | 80% of actual costs where you would make an overall loss after the sale of the timber |
| Chemical killing (not for sweet chestnut with sweet chestnut blight) | 80% of actual costs | 80% of actual costs | 80% of actual costs | 80% of actual costs |
| Infrastructure and access aids | 40% of actual costs for permanent infrastructure, 60% of actual costs for temporary access aids | 40% of actual costs for permanent infrastructure, 60% of actual costs for temporary access aids | 40% of actual costs for permanent infrastructure, 60% of actual costs for temporary access aids | 40% of actual costs for permanent infrastructure, 60% of actual costs for temporary access aids |
| Biosecurity items | 60% of actual costs for hired items, 40% of actual costs for bought items | 60% of actual costs for hired items, 40% of actual costs for bought items | 60% of actual costs for hired items, 40% of actual costs for bought items | 60% of actual costs for hired items, 40% of actual costs for bought items |
| Facilitation fee | Not available | £20 per hour | Not available | £20 per hour |
| Restocking and capital items | Not available | Up to £5,000 per ha for ancient woodlands, up to £3,930 for other sites | £270.44 per large tree, £3.79 for feathers, £2.29 for whips | £270.44 per large tree, £3.79 for feathers, £2.29 for whips |
| Maintenance (per year for 3 years) | Not available | £300 per ha | £189 per large tree, £0.14 per feather or whip | £189 per large tree, £0.14 per feather or whip |
Example of biosecurity items you can buy or hire
Where eligible, you can use this grant to pay back what you spend on biosecurity items. Biosecurity is important when entering land or premises where there is a risk of spreading harmful organisms, such as:
- pests
- diseases
- parasites
- invasive non-native species
This includes:
- all forestry and agricultural land (including grassland and arable or horticultural crops)
- nurseries
- hill ground
- moorland
- farm steadings
- other woodland
Biosecurity protocols also extend to:
- parks
- gardens
- premises for the processing and storage of timber
The THP scheme is looking for landowners and agents to take biosecurity measures on sites that host a damaging tree pest or disease.
Check the items you need to uphold good biosecurity practices for sites infected (diseases) or infested (insect pests) by:
- Phytophthora ramorum
- oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea)
- eight-toothed European spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus)
- sweet chestnut blight (Cryphonectria parasitica)
Personal biosecurity kit items
A personal biosecurity kit is basic cleaning equipment to use when entering and leaving sites on:
- boots
- clothing
- tools
- other personal equipment
The kit should be available on all site visits regardless of what pests or diseases are present. It should contain:
- container or bucket large enough to immerse a boot in, such as a gorilla tub
- adequate water supply for your daily tasks (for example, 5-litre jerry can)
- long handled, stiff plastic bristled brush
- boot pick or a tool to remove debris from between boot treads
- cleansing wipes for hands or alcohol-based hand sanitiser
- disinfectant - Cleankill Sanitising Spray for boots and clothing and Propellar for metal tools
- vapour proof container for Propellar disinfectant
- eye protection
- protective gloves
- portable pressure washers (battery powered or 12 volts)
Phytophthora ramorum and sweet chestnut blight: additional biosecurity items
Examples of recommended items:
- high powered petrol or diesel driven pressure washers and water bowsers for washing down vehicles and larger machinery
- static wheel washing stations for sites with high traffic volumes
- static boot washing stations for sites with high personnel volumes
- signage for path diversions, awareness raising and site biosecurity protocols
Oak processionary moth (OPM): additional biosecurity items
Owners of infested trees should get tree or pest control professionals to survey and manage oak trees affected by OPM.
The THP scheme does not support the hire or purchase of biosecurity capital items to manage OPM.
Ips typographus: additional biosecurity items
Examples of recommended items:
- high powered petrol or diesel driven pressure washers and water bowsers for washing down vehicles and larger machinery
- static wheel washing stations for sites with high traffic volumes
- static boot washing stations for sites with high personnel volumes
- signage for path diversions, awareness raising and biosecurity site instructions
- tarpaulin to cover small stacks of spruce that are infested or susceptible to infestation. This will prevent any Ips typographus beetles from infesting the stack or emerging from it if it is already infested. Covering stacks also speeds up the decay process, meaning material becomes unsuitable for infestation sooner
- chipper capable of chipping to G50 (average chip size of 50 millimetre or smaller)
- mulcher to remove stumps (which can be susceptible to infestation) following felling activities
- stump grinder - same use as the mulcher but for smaller scale operations
- debarker - debarking spruce logs prevents Ips typographus from infesting them
- incinerator or fire bin to destroy small amounts of susceptible or infested spruce
How you can use infrastructure and access aids grants
Where eligible, you can use these grants to improve access to woodlands so you can fell and remove the timber.
Some examples or works which could be eligible for funding include:
- culverts and other road and trackside drainage
- extraction tracks for mechanised timber extraction to a transfer point
- haulage roads and turning points
- haulage road entrances or laybys
- profiling and paving timber transfer points and stacking areas
- woodland security such as gates for new entrance points
You’ll need to make sure the work you do meets the legal standards for roads and tracks. For more information, read the guidance on improving infrastructure.
You can also use the money to hire access aids, which includes items such as:
- hard standings, a hard surface for cars or trucks to park
- horse logging
- log chutes
- metal standing tracks
- pile logs
- skylines
You’ll need to provide detailed plans, including maps and quotes, for the proposed work, to apply for an infrastructure grant.
Restocking and capital items you can buy
Where eligible, you can use these grants to pay back what you spend on items from this list.
| Capital items | Payment rate | Aim | Additional notes | Mandatory or optional |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tree planting (woodland only) | £1.28 per tree | To supply, plant and weed young trees and protect with a 0.6m spiral guard | Spiral not needed in some circumstances – this needs to be agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Mandatory in order to apply for a tree health restocking grant |
| Tree planting - large trees (trees outside of woodlands) | £270.44 per tree | Supply containerised standard tree. Size (10 to 12cm up to 16 to 18cm) used dependent on location. Supply standard lightweight galvanised mesh steel tree guard. Size: 1800mm x 360mm | Tree guard not needed in some circumstances – this needs to be agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Mandatory in order to apply for THP restocking grant |
| Tree planting - feathers (trees outside of woodlands) | £3.79 per tree | Supply and plant small tree. Supply a 1.2m tube, treated softwood stake, and labour | Tree guard not needed in some circumstances – this needs to be agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Mandatory in order to apply for THP restocking grant |
| Tree planting - whips (trees outside of woodlands) | £2.29 per tree | Supply and plant whip tree. Supply a 0.7m tree shelter, mulch and labour | Tree guard not needed in some circumstances – this needs to be agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Mandatory in order to apply for THP restocking grant |
| Individual tree shelter | £1.60 per unit | To protect young trees with a tree shelter | This supplement can only be used with tree planting. Shelter height to be agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Fencing | £4 per metre | Method of stock control, to help habitat management or protect environmental features | This item can be used with individual tree shelters where appropriate and agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Sheep netting | £4.90 per metre | Exclude sheep to protect environmental features | This item can be used with individual tree shelters where appropriate and agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Rabbit fencing supplement | £2.50 per metre | Supplement to fencing or sheep netting, or deer fence to exclude rabbits to help protect environmental features | This supplement can only be used alongside one of the following capital items: fencing, sheep netting, deer fencing. This item can be used with individual tree shelters where appropriate and agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Fencing supplement – difficult site | £1.24 per metre | Supplement to fencing to cover the extra costs of fencing on a difficult site | Fencing to cover the extra costs of fencing on a difficult site. This can only be used alongside one of the following capital items: fencing, sheep netting, deer fencing. This item can be used with individual tree shelters where appropriate and agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Permanent deer fencing | £7.20 per metre | To protect newly created woodland from deer browsing | This item can be used with individual tree shelter where agreed with your Forestry Commission woodland officer | Optional |
| Temporary deer fencing | £5.20 per metre | To protect newly created or existing woodland from deer browsing as part of a wider woodland creation or woodland management project | When used in combination with permanent deer fencing, the temporary fencing must be deer proof | Optional |
| Wooden field gate or wooden wings | £390 per gate | Facilitate stock management and keep livestock out of watercourses | When used with permanent deer fencing, the gate must be deer proof | Optional |
| Badger gate | £135 per gate | Provide badgers unrestricted access either side of a newly erected fence, which crosses known badger routes | Can only be used with one of the following items: fencing, sheep netting, rabbit fencing, fencing difficult sites, deer fencing | Optional |
| Water gates | £240 per gate | Use across stream in conjunction with other stock control options to keep livestock and deer out of new planting | Can only be used on fence lines across streams, with other stock or deer control items | Optional |
| Deer pedestrian gate | £271.50 per gate | To install a deer proof pedestrian gate within the deer fence to allow access or enable woodland management | When used with permanent deer fencing, the pedestrian gate must be deer proof | Optional |
| Deer vehicle gate | £344.60 per gate | To install a deer proof vehicle gate within the deer fence to allow access or enable woodland management | When used with permanent deer fencing, the vehicle gate must be deer proof | Optional |
| Deer high seat | £300 per unit | To provide a safe, temporary vantage point from which to cull deer to relieve browsing pressure | Not applicable | Optional |
| Stone wall restoration | £25 per metre | Rebuild stone walls to make them stock proof and restore their landscape value | Not applicable | Optional |
| Top wiring – stone wall maintenance | £3.60 per metre | To control stock by adding a top wire onto a stone wall | Not applicable | Optional |
| Stone wall supplement – stone from quarry | £44 per metre | To make sure that wall restoration can be finished where there’s not enough reusable stone on-farm, and stone has to be sourced from an off-site quarry | Not applicable | Optional |
Requirements for buying trees when you restock
From 22 June 2022, you will only be eligible for a restocking grant if you use plant suppliers that meet the Plant Health Management Standard.
You must tell the Forestry Commission which supplier you intend to buy trees from, in your application. (You may change which supplier you use later, this will not affect your application.)
The supplier must demonstrate that they meet the Plant Health Management Standard by providing either of the following:
-
The certification number showing their current membership of the Plant Healthy Certification scheme or an application number to show they have applied to become certified. Find the certified Plant Healthy suppliers on the directory of certified businesses.
-
A successful Ready to Plant (RtP) assessment voucher with a unique reference number. For the supplier to apply for an RtP assessment, you will need to provide them with your THP agreement reference number when you order your trees. Each RtP assessment voucher applies to one THP grant agreement. If you have multiple agreements, your supplier will need to apply for a separate RtP assessment voucher for each one.
You will need to provide either of these pieces of evidence when you claim for your trees.
How to apply
The tree health pilot scheme for 2022 is now closed to applications. Read the latest information about applying for future tree health pilot schemes.
After you have signed your agreement
You’ll need to:
- Complete ‘Threats to your Woodlands’ training, which is a set of 3 short online webinars about biosecurity, tree health and mammal damages to trees and woodlands.
- Fill in a biosecurity management plan, which is a form that explains what you’ll need to do to reduce the risk of spreading pests and diseases on the land you’re applying for.
- Complete the works you’ve got the funding for, for example, to buy the goods, hire a contractor or do the work yourself.
- Keep detailed records and submit evidence that you’ve completed the work, for example receipts and photos (evidence might also be gathered from a visit by a woodland officer).
- Email a THP claim form to thpilotenquiries@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Participant feedback
As a THP scheme participant, you’ll be asked to provide feedback for the duration of your agreement.
We will ask you to:
- fill out surveys
- attend online workshops with other participants, if needed
- have one-on-one conversations with researchers
Your feedback will help contribute towards the design of future tree health schemes.
Technical guidance
Read the technical guidance for more information about carrying out the funded work, good practice guidelines and advice such as record keeping. There’s advice for: