Announcing the latest round of Countryside Stewardship funding this week, Defra said its agri-environment scheme will this year include grants for woodland creation and reduction of flood risk.

Nearly £20 million will be made available under the fund, which aims to help farmers and land managers protect wildlife, create new habitats and reduce flood risk.

On Tuesday, Farming Minister George Eustice confirmed details of Countryside Stewardship elements, including woodland creation and woodland planning grants, and a new flood action facilitation fund to help land owners create natural flood management solutions. Experts have highlighted the role natural flood management can have in stopping or mitigating flood events, which stand to become more frequent and severe as climate change progresses. Returning trees to farmed land has also been a cause celebrate in recent years; Britain has amongst the lowest levels of forest cover in Europe, at around 11%.

Commenting on the scheme, George Eustice said, “The Countryside Stewardship scheme plays a crucial role in enhancing our environment – conserving and restoring habitats to help wildlife recover, creating woodlands to improve air quality and reduce flood risk, and improving our landscapes to increase productivity and resilience. I’m pleased today to confirm details for next year for these elements of Countryside Stewardship, and I encourage farmers and land owners across the country to apply.”

Woodland creation and planning grants

Farmers and land managers will be able to apply for funding to support woodland creation and forest management. Around £17 million will be made available for the Woodland Creation Grant and the Woodland Planning Grant, which will be used to expand and manage woodland in line with government targets.

The fund opens on 3rd January and Woodland Creation applications are available for download here. Woodland Planning application forms will be available shortly.

Flood action facilitation fund

Up to £720,000 will be made available to encourage groups of farmers, foresters and other land managers to develop natural flood management projects on their land.

The new funding will help groups of farmers and other land managers in areas hit by last winter’s flooding to work together to reduce flood risk and apply for funding to plant trees, create water meadows and restore rivers to their natural meanders.

More information is available here on the Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund.