GovWire

The tree health pilot (THP) scheme 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 youre from a local council, a charity or youre a land agent).

Youll usually be invited to take part in the pilot because youve 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 youve not been contacted by a Forestry Commission woodland officer and you read this guidance and think youre 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 map of 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 youre 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 youre 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, youll 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 youve signed it.

Grant requirements for trees in woodland

If youre applying for trees in a woodland, the group of trees youre 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 its 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.

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 groups OPM management plan, organising tree surveying)
• hiring contractors to survey the groups oak trees to identify OPM

Grant payment rates: oak affected by OPM

Grants for ash with ash dieback

You can only apply for these grants as part of a group application. Grants apply to roadside ash with ash dieback 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, youll 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

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