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OpenUpdated 9 Jun 2026Mixed

England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)

Forestry Commission (Defra / Nature for Climate Fund) · England

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is a government grant scheme supporting the creation of new woodland in England. It provides funding for capital costs, annual maintenance, and additional environmental and social benefits through stackable payments.

Summary

Deadline

31 Mar 2027

Complexity

Medium

Time to apply

20-60 hours

Updated

9 Jun 2026

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is a government grant scheme supporting the creation of new woodland in England. It provides funding for capital costs, annual maintenance, and additional environmental and social benefits through stackable payments.

Eligibility

Applicant types

Not specified

Business size

SME

Industries

Forestry, agriculture, land management, environmental conservation

Match funding

Needs verification

Requirements

Landowners, land managers, and public bodies Land managers in England creating new woodland meeting EWCO minimum area and land eligibility (per Forestry Commission guidance). Not specified

Eligible applicants

Landowners, land managers, and public bodies

Funding and scope

Benefit amount

Up to £10,200 per hectare; additional payments up to £12,700

Total fund available

Not specified

Funding intensity

Not specified

Payment type

Reimbursement

Eligible scope

Not specified

Eligible expenses

  • Not specified

Ineligible costs

  • Not specified

Application and risks

Application platform

GOV.UK EWCO application process via Forestry Commission

Competitiveness

Competitive Selection

Decision timeline

Not specified

Assessment process

Typically 3 to 5 months from submission of a complete application

Application sections

Not specified

Application components

  • Application form, woodland design plan, supporting documentation, land management plan

Required documents

Not specified

Appendices

Not specified

Assessment criteria

  • Alignment with priorities including climate change mitigation, biodiversity, water quality, flood risk reduction, and public access

Decision risks

Processing delays if application is incomplete or complex

Timeline and partners

Opening date

1 Jun 2021

Project duration

Not specified

Project start

Not specified

Project end

Not specified

Co-funders

Not specified

Collaboration rules

  • Not specified

Consortium requirements

  • Single land manager applicant or landowner partnership per EWCO application rules.

Additional guidance

[{"label":"Initial Research Grant","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Training Grant","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Future Funding (Subject to Stage Gate)","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"In-Kind Support","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Intent to Apply Deadline","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Key Organisational Requirements","value":"Land must be in England and under applicant’s management control (or supported by landowner consent); minimum woodland size of 1 hectare (0.1 hectare blocks allowed)"},{"label":"Governance Requirements","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Monitoring Requirements","value":"Not explicitly stated; compliance with Forestry Commission requirements and agreement conditions implied"},{"label":"Doctoral Studentships","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Industry Leverage Expectation","value":"Not specified"},{"label":"Funding Structure","value":"Up to £10,200 per hectare for capital costs; annual maintenance payments (typically up to 10–15 years); additional stackable payments up to £12,700 per hectare for environmental and social benefits"},{"label":"Renewal Structure","value":"Open for applications year-round"},{"label":"Environmental & EDI Requirements","value":"Strong focus on climate action, biodiversity, water protection, flood risk reduction, public access, and environmental sustainability"},{"label":"important notes","value":"100% capital cost intervention (up to cap); annual maintenance payments available; additional payments for nature recovery, water quality, flood risk, access, and proximity to communities; applicants can retain Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) payments if eligible; integrates with Woodland Carbon Code and future environmental schemes"}]

Quick facts

Status
Open
Deadline
31 Mar 2027
Funding amount
Up to £10,200 per hectare; additional payments up to £12,700
Funding band
Mid (£500k-£5M)
Funding type
Capital grant with additional incentive payments and maintenance funding
Payment type
Reimbursement
Audience
Mixed
Industry
Forestry, agriculture, land management, environmental conservation
Last updated
9 Jun 2026
Published
1 Jun 2021

Source links

Secondary sources

Source 1