GRANTS for domestic tree production are now open.

Professional foresters, landowners, nurseries, and seed suppliers are being encouraged to come forward for the latest round of Seed Sourcing Grant and Tree Production Capital Grants, which opened on Tuesday, December 5, 2023.

There is £2.8million available for domestic trees and seeds production as government funding schemes have re-opened.

Grants will increase quantity, quality, diversity and biosecurity of England’s trees and seeds supply – crucial for creating resilient woodlands.

Forestry Commission chief executive Richard Stanford said: “These important grants have played a valuable role in helping boost domestic trees and seed production and develop employment opportunities in the sector.

“I encourage all eligible applicants to come forward so we can continue to build capacity in the sector, to support increased tree cover and make our treescapes more resilient.”

The Tree Production Capital Grant supports efforts to build nursery capacity and grow trees and seeds supply chains for the long-term.

The third round of the Tree Production Capital Grant is open until Tuesday, January 30, 2024 and will provide up to £2.5million of funding during 2024/25.

Funding provides support for research projects that enhance tree production methods in England.

The Seed Sourcing Grant helps boost domestic tree seed production and support green jobs, helping to meet the increased demand for trees and achieve the ambitious tree planting targets.

This aims to attract a broad range of applicants, including both organisations already involved in these activities and those who have not previously considered seed production.

The grant is open until Tuesday, February 13, 2024, and will provide up to £260,000 of funding during 2024/25.

AJ, Director of Cutlers Wood Ltd in Ipswich, applied for Tree Production Capital Funding in 2022. Over the last year, with support from the grant, the nursery purchased several pieces of equipment to increase productivity significantly whilst also improving the quality of the trees grown and ultimately their success rate.

AJ said: “Like many other agricultural businesses, we were looking to diversify. However, the capital outlay required to reach a commercial scale of tree production would not have been possible without the support of the Tree Production Capital Grant.

“The initial funding will help the nursery reach a positive cashflow earlier and so allow further investment to improve quality and quantity of production.”

Clive Ellis a woodland manager working with ancient woodlands across Essex and Suffolk, successfully applied for the Seed Sourcing Grant in 2022 and secured funding to help improve lime-dense woodland in Oxley Wood, Essex.

Clive added: "I’d already been thinking about how important lime was in terms of a national resource. When the Seed Sourcing Grant funding became available, I decided to apply to help bring more British home-grown seed to the market, as well as improve the ecological vision of Oxley Wood.”