Arable field

One year later

Four years after planting

Beautiful in just 12 years
 

 
***UPDATE***

FREEwoods has been a great success. So far we have approved 52 schemes which will result in 72 hectares of new native woodland and 92,000 trees being planted by the end of March.

We are still accepting applications from landowners in Yorkshire and Lancashire, so if you would like a FREEwood please get in touch before 31st December.

We are hoping to offer a similar nation wide scheme next year and details of this should be available in the spring.

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We have designed it to be:

• Free, with
• Minimal paperwork, and
• No bureaucracy

Why? One of our key aims is an increase in UK woodland
cover – ideally 1,000 hectares of new native woodland
every year.

FREEwoods allows us to involve more people in the joy
of creating a new native forest of their own.

How does it work? The Trust will pay for one of our
advisers to check land suitability, help with the design of
the wood and the species to be planted, supply and pay for the trees, tree guards and labour to plant and maintain
them for two years. We’ll even complete the paperwork.


All you need to do is provide the land and fence
it off if required.


What do we need from you? Applicants must commit to
plant at least one hectare (2.5 acres) of new native woodland under this scheme. This can be a number of smaller areas as long as they add up to one hectare.

We sincerely hope to fulfil our FREEwoods offer to every
applicant, but if the programme is over-subscribed we will
favour schemes where the planting is either next to ancient woodland or allows public access – preferably both.

Applications from landowners in Yorkshire and Lancashire must be received by 31st December 2008 and FREEwoods will need to be planted during the winter of 2008/09.

To apply, please either fill out our online form – or phone 0845 293 5845.

For general email enquiries contact:
sarahcunningham@woodlandtrust.org.uk

This scheme is open to applicants in England and Wales. We are in the process of developing a similar scheme for Scotland taking into account the different grant schemes already available (see scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Rural/SRDP). We hope to provide details of this in due course.