Part of a ground-breaking project to reduce flood risk, improve water quality and encourage new woodland creation, the Woodlands for Water project is helping land managers and farmers to tackle the specialist skills needed for woodland planting.

Alleviating flood risk by creating woodlands: Grants and Support

Offered in Yorkshire and across the North East, this new scheme, run by a collaborative team from the Forestry Commission and the Environment Agency, the Woodlands for Water project team provide advice and guidance, tapping into the services of skilled professionals who work under contract with the Forestry Commission themselves.

Woodland planting can benefit landowners directly as the establishment of trees and hedging on the land adds stability to the land, reducing flood risk and improving water quality by reducing sediment and hampering the route of harmful pollutants into rivers and waterways.

Landowners gain collaboration with professional advisors who can help them develop a planting plan and gain access to grant funding. These Woodland Creation grants, now available throughout the year via the Forestry Commission's Woodland Carbon Fund, offer up to £6,800 per hectare for the planting of new woodland areas. On top, there is provision for those eligible to gain £200 per hectare per year over a 10 year period.

Last year, the project approved the planting of 160 hectares of new woodlands for water improvement across the Yorkshire and North East.

For further information, consult the Forestry Commission's Woodland Creation pages.

Source: gov.uk