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About the tree health pilot scheme 2023

The tree health pilot (THP) scheme 2023 is testing different ways of slowing the spread of pests and diseases affecting trees in England.

It expands on support available through the 鈥�Countryside Stewardship (CS) Woodland Tree Health grant.

There are grants available for:

• larch trees with Phytophthora ramorum
• spruce trees affected by Ips typographus
• sweet chestnut trees with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight
• oak trees with oak processionary moth (OPM)
• ash trees with ash dieback

Check the supporting documents for details on what the grants cover and how to apply.

How it works

If your application is successful, you can claim grant support to pay back some of the costs of carrying out work. For example, to remove and replace diseased trees.

The scheme covers trees in and outside of woodlands, depending on the grant you apply for.

There are around 100 grant agreements available through a competitive application process.

During the pilot, the Forestry Commission may change, add or remove:

• tree types
• pests and diseases
• grants or rates of payment

Changes to the pilot will not negatively affect your grant agreement after you鈥檝e signed it.

Length of the pilot scheme

The pilot runs from August 2021 to 2024. It will help develop the future funding policy for tree health schemes.

Who can take part

罢丑别鈥� THP scheme 2023 is open to 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. You may want to apply for a group grant if, for example, you鈥檙e from a local council, a charity or you鈥檙e a land agent.

If you鈥檙e invited to take part in the THP scheme

You鈥檒l usually be invited to take part in the pilot because you鈥檝e been contacted by a Forestry Commission woodland officer. However, you can still apply for the THP scheme without an invitation.

You may be invited to apply by a Forestry Commission woodland officer because you have a specific tree, pest or disease on your land. For example, you might have a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN) for trees infected by one of the specified pests or diseases.

Apply to the THP scheme as an individual

If you read this guidance and think you鈥檙e eligible, you can express your interest to take part in the THP scheme.

If you鈥檙e applying as an individual, you must be a:

• landowner
• occupier
• tenant
• landlord
• licensor

Apply to the THP scheme as a group

You can apply for some of the grants as a group, depending on the situation. For example, if you and your neighbours have the same tree species with the same pest or disease, you might want to apply together.

Some grants only allow group applications. Check group eligibility in the individual grant descriptions.

Lead facilitator

Group applications must have a lead facilitator. They鈥檒l have responsibility for the application and the work carried out during the agreement.

The lead facilitator could be:

• someone from your group you nominate
• a private agent
• an organisation, such as a local council, woodland initiative or wildlife trust

The lead facilitator will be responsible for:

• making sure everyone does the work they鈥檝e agreed to do
• providing any evidence needed to the Forestry Commission

Group grants will include an hourly fee (拢24 per hour) for the lead facilitator. This will pay towards their work organising and coordinating the group work.

The lead facilitator cannot claim for:

• more than 170 hours of work each month
• more in facilitation fees than the total value of grants the group applies for (this excludes OPM grants)

Read about the role of the lead facilitator 鈥痶o find out what they need to do for a group application in the鈥�THP鈥痵肠丑别尘别.

What land is eligible

To take part in the pilot scheme, the trees or woodlands you or your group manage must have one or more of:

• larch with Phytophthora ramorum
• spruce growing in the high-risk eight-toothed spruce bark beetle (Ips typographus) area - see鈥�map of demarcated area
• sweet chestnut with Phytophthora ramorum or sweet chestnut blight
• oak with oak processionary moth (OPM) in the established area 鈥� see within London and the South East
• ash with ash dieback

The trees or woodlands you manage must be in one of these regions of England:

• North West
• West Midlands
• South East
• London

If you鈥檙e not sure which region your trees or woodlands are in, check the 鈥�Area and Woodland Officer boundaries map.

Grant requirements for trees in woodland

If you鈥檙e applying for trees in a woodland, the group of trees you鈥檙e 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.

General grant requirements

Your grant application must have a minimum funding value of 拢500. Use the payment tables in the supporting documents to work out how much you can apply for.

You cannot claim for any incurred expenditure for activities or purchases before you鈥檝e received confirmation that your agreement is live.

If you do any work before you sign an agreement, you鈥檒l lose the opportunity to get a grant for that work.

You will be paid based on costs incurred for undertaking grant-funded activities. Any VAT which you cannot recover from HMRC can be included in your THP application and claims.

For group applications, lead facilitators must consider the VAT status of each individual group member separately.

If you already get other funding

If you get funding from other agri-environment or woodland schemes, you can still take part in the鈥�THP鈥痵肠丑别尘别.

The activities for the THP must be different to the activities you鈥檙e getting funding for. You cannot get paid twice for the same work or activities.

Participant feedback

As a鈥�THP鈥痑greement holder, the Forestry Commission will ask you to:

• fill out surveys
• attend online workshops with other participants, if needed
• have one-on-one conversations with researchers

You鈥檒l need to provide feedback for the duration of your agreement. Your feedback will help contribute towards the design of future tree health schemes.

Return to the THP scheme 2023 guidance.