Grant to boost domestic tree production re-opens

£5 million available for tree and seed suppliers of all sizes and from any sector to expand, modernise and boost domestic tree production.

The Government has announced investment in domestic tree production in England will be accelerated with applications re-opening for the Forestry Commission’s Tree Production Capital Grant. The funding will drive the production of tree seed and saplings through developments in machinery, automation and the expansion of facilities.

In line with the aims of the England Trees Action Plan and Government ambitions to treble tree planting rates by the end of this Parliament, the Tree Production Capital Grant will support efforts to build nursery capacity and grow long-term tree seed and sapling supply.

The grant will enable suppliers to boost production rates at pace and has been designed to complement the Tree Production Innovation Fund, which provides support for research projects that enhance UK tree production methods.

Previous funding rounds have provided machinery for projects such as the Emmaus Community Tree Nursery in Cornwall to help it meet the need for locally grown trees and provide employment opportunities for homeless people. Funding has also supporting Warwickshire County Council expand and improve their tree nursery expansion and improvement so they can diversify the species they grow and adapt to future climate conditions.

Successful projects will be awarded up to £175,000 in grant funding to cover up to 50% of costs, with money coming from the Tree Production Capital Grant as part of the Government’s £750 million Nature for Climate Fund. In comparison to the 2022 application process, the minimum grant value which can be applied for has reduced from £10,000 to £5,000 enhancing accessibility for smaller projects.

Examples of eligible projects include investments in seed trays, developments in machinery such as transplanting systems and grading machines, improved polytunnel infrastructure and irrigation systems, or in biosecurity through improved water treatment and refrigeration equipment. Applications are encouraged from tree seed and sapling suppliers of all sizes and sectors, as well as new entrants looking to diversify into the area.

Forestry Minister Trudy Harrison said:

This Government is committed to bolstering domestic tree production and fostering a robust forestry industry – actions that are necessary to realise our long-term tree- planting goals.

Not only does the Tree Production Capital Grant allow us to modernise and enhance the sector, but it also helps to create new green jobs and to tackle climate change, amongst myriad other benefits.

Forestry Commission Chief Executive Richard Stanford said:

Funding projects that enhance our woodlands and treescapes is fundamental to achieving Government’s tree planting ambitions and building an innovative and robust forestry sector.

Through the Tree Production Capital Grant we have been able to support existing tree and seed suppliers of all sizes, and also provide funding to those wishing to make a start in the sector. With the application window now open, I encourage those with relevant projects to apply.”

The second round of the Tree Production Capital Grant is now open until 31st May 2023. and will provide up to £1.76 million of funding during 2023/24 and £3.43 million during 2024/25, subject to successful bids. Applicants can apply for projects up to two years long, ending in March 2025.

The Forestry Commission will be hosting a webinar on the grant application process on Friday 28 April.

For more information and to apply, go to: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/tree-production-capital-grant

Looking to plant trees?

Maelor Forest Nurseries produces and supplies commercial quantities of bare root trees and shrubs suitable for forestry, hedging and native woodland planting.

Our technical work aims to improve growing conditions on the nursery to produce a better quality plant and futureproof forests, to ensure that this quality is maintained down the line, from dispatch to planting out and beyond.

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