GovWire

How much youll be paid

109.64 per guard

Where you can use this item

You can use this item on trees in a land parcel if youre already using the land parcel for:

• [ORH1: Manage traditional orchards]
• [CHRW2: Manage hedgerows]
• [WOD1: Manage wood pasture and parkland]

You can also use this item when planting in-field agroforestry trees.

Where you cannot use this item

You cannot use this item with:

• TE6: Tree guard (tube and mesh)
• TE8: Tree guard (wood post and wire)

How this item benefits the environment

This item protects trees from damage caused by grazing animals and wild animals.

What you must do to use this item

You must erect tree guards at least 2m high which have:

• 4 treated timber corner posts
• 5cm diameter top and middle rails
• a bottom rail if grazing animals are likely to get underneath the guard
• posts placed so grazing animals cannot reach within 0.5m of the tree stem
• a single strand of barbed wire along the top rail to prevent animals rubbing against the guard

You must also:

• fasten sheep netting (or 3 strands of taut plain or barbed wire) to the corner posts between the middle and top rails, and between the middle rail and the bottom rail
• use sheep netting instead of barbed wire between the middle rail and the bottom rail if sheep are likely to graze the parcel
• design the tree guard to allow access for formative pruning, applying mulch and clearing vegetation around the base of each tree

You must not:

• fasten guards to the tree
• attach guards so they rub against, constrict or the damage the tree in any other way

Evidence you must keep

You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.

You must also keep and provide on request:

• any consents or permissions connected with the work
• receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
• photographs of existing trees to be protected

Please see the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holders guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants, and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

Other items and actions you can use with this item

Capital items

You can use this item with:

• TE1: Planting standard hedgerow tree
• TE2: Planting standard parkland tree
• TE3: Planting fruit trees
• [AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree]
• [AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree]