Up to £500,000 funding will be available for landowners within the Western Forest area through the Better Off With Trees programme.

Free expert support for farmers will be available through the programme to explores how trees and woodland could work for agricultural land.

The Western Forest is a new 1,400 square mile wooded mosaic spanning Gloucestershire, the West of England and Wiltshire - the first national forest to be created in England for a generation.

The aim is to bring together trees, woodland and other wooded habitats across farms, estates, and other land, making a more connected landscape.

Woodland creation partnership

The partnership brings together Farming & Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG) South West, wildlife trusts and community forest and conservation organisations to deliver woodland creation and agroforestry.

Woodland and nature recovery manager at The Western Forest, Jack McCrickard said: “Making an enquiry does not commit anyone to planting trees or changing how their land is used.

“You don’t need to know what you want to plant or come to us with a plan. Our job is to listen first and understand your land.”

According to McCrickard, the programme will help landowners with applications; planning; approvals; and practical delivery, all free of charge.

What work for you

As different trees will work for different types of lands, Better Off With Trees supports different approaches depending on what the land owner or manager wants to achieve:

Trees for Farms helps integrate trees into existing farming systems, including wooded pasture and trees within crops, it can also provide shelter for livestock and crops;
Productive Forestry creates income streams through long-term timber production and can potentially serve as part of a wider land or legacy strategy; 
Wildlife Woodlands is a more nature-first approach, these projects also reconnect fragmented habitats across the wider landscape;
Woodland Management looks at how existing, neglected or under-managed woodland have potential to create income from timber, improve biodiversity, mitigate flooding, and provide forage and shelter to livestock. 

Whaddon Grove farm

Richard and Helen Allan of Whaddon Grove Farm in Wiltshire have spent two decades integrating trees and other woody habitats.

The trees provide shade and shelter for livestock in their organic farm while also supporting soils, water management and wildlife.

“For us, it has never been about choosing between farming and tree, it’s about putting trees in the right places so they work with the farm,” Richard Allan said.

The approach has enabled the farm to increase overall farm production by around 35%.

The trees also provide woodchip for animal bedding and soil improvement.

Landowners and managers can use the Western Forest's interactive map to explore the region and find out whether their land is within the forest.