Advisory - Ecology - Funding Opportunities

Funding Opportunities, Sources and Advice

The STRI’s Ecological and Environmental Services team can provide assistance in sourcing and securing financial support for a variety of ecological and environmental projects.

Holistic Ecological Management – The Countryside Stewardship Scheme (CSS) offered by the Rural Development Service (part of DEFRA) provides considerable grant assistance to land managers whom undertake ecological best practice throughout the entire of their site. Moneys are available for a wide range of tasks including; heathland restoration, grassland management, hedgerow laying, pond creation etc.. A significant proportion of any outlay by the client spent on professional assistance in applying to the scheme can be claimed back providing the application is successful.

Species Specific Conservation – Numerous special interest groups offer moderate grant aid for habitat improvement of certain species. Great crested newt, water vole, barn owl and adder are but a few of the species for whom financial assistance is available for the dedicated golf club or land owner.

Environmental Improvements – there are several not for profit and government backed organisations whom will provide financial assistance for environmental issues including; purchasing of LPG driven machinery, installation of energy efficient lighting and water conservation projects.

English Woodland Grant Scheme-The first phase of the new English Woodland Grant Scheme (EWGS) opened for business on 18 July 2005 with the second phase planned for the autumn. The scheme is open to all land owners or leaseholders including golf clubs, however if you are a tenant then you must have the landowners permission before applying.

The Woodland Grant Scheme has also changed slightly in Wales and Scotland with grant aid available through the ‘Better Woodlands for Wales’ and the ‘Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme’ respectively. The conditions of these schemes are similar to those outlined below and more information can be found by visiting the Forestry Commission website at www.forestry.gov.uk

The new scheme is improved from the old Woodland Grant Scheme in so much that more money is now available for the maintenance of existing plantations, and also grants are accessible for expert advice in surveying, assessing and planning management work to proposed and existing woodlands.

There are 6 different grants available to golf clubs under the new scheme, each of which has its own eligibility criteria. Broadly speaking all of the existing woodlands on a site must be incorporated into the application if a ‘Stewardship of existing woodlands’ grant is to be applied for and the total area of woodland must exceed 3ha (7.4 acres). For a ‘creation of a new woodland’ grant the area in question must be no less than 0.25 ha (0.6 acre) and no narrower than 30m on average, with 15m as an absolute minimum width at any point. Planting of woodland strips between fairways and golf holes therefore must be undertaken with care so as to ensure that these minimums are adhered to.

The value of grant funding varies widely through the six grants available, for example; creation of a new broadleaved woodland would attract £1800/ha, reversion of a conifer woodland to a broadleaved plantation would realise £1100/ha and the Forestry Commission will contribute £300 toward production of a management plan for woodlands totalling 3-30ha in size – this can be paid directly to a professional ecologist/woodland specialist to produce the plan. 

The 6 different grants available are described in the table below:

Woodland Category

Grant Type

What the grant is for

Stewardship of existing woodlands

Woodland Planning Grant (WPG)

Preparation of plans that both assist with management of the woodland and meet the UK Woodland Assurance Scheme.
Open for applications from 18th July

Woodland Assessment Grant (WAG)

Gathering of information to improve management decisions.
Open for applications from 18th July

Woodland Regeneration Grant (WRG)

Supporting desirable change in woodland composition through natural regeneration and restocking after felling.
Open for applications from 18th July

Woodland Improvement Grant (WIG)

Work in woodlands to create, enhance and sustain public benefits.
Open for applications from October

Woodland Management Grant (WMG)

Contribution to additional costs of providing and sustaining higher-quality public benefits from existing woodlands.
Open for applications from October

Creation of new woodlands

Woodland Creation Grant (WCG)

Encouraging the creation of new woodlands where they deliver the greatest public benefits.
Open for applications from 18th July.

Applications for grant assistance in restoring, maintaining or planting woodlands are required to be accompanied by an Ordnance Survey MasterMap of the site and must be completed in strict accordance with the Forestry Commission guidelines. It is feasible that individual golf clubs could apply directly for grant aid through the EWGS however the Forestry Commission advise prospective applicants; “seek professional help to prepare your application and carry out the management of your woodland”.

Here the STRI’s Ecological and Environmental Services for Golf can help. With unparalleled experience of the ecological management of golf courses we are ideally placed to assist in the preparation of a woodland management plan for your golf course which would incorporate an application to the EWGS.

Please contact Bob Taylor or Lee Penrose for further details and pricing