Forestry Commission Wales’s grant schemes for planting new trees and managing woodlands gave out a record amount of funding to woodland owners during the 2009-2010 financial year.
Over £3.5 million was paid out by the Better Woodlands for Wales grant scheme and its predecessor, the Woodland Grant Scheme. This is the highest level of grant funding issued since Better Woodlands for Wales was launched in 2006.
March was a particularly busy month with 40% of the claims, to the value of £1,231,299, being processed during the final few weeks of the financial year.
This peak in claims was partly caused by the extension to the deadline that Forestry Commission Wales gave woodland owners to allow them more time to complete work delayed by the extreme winter weather.
Designed to support the Woodlands for Wales strategy, the Better Woodlands for Wales scheme offers grants specially designed for Welsh woodlands. Grant aid is available to all woodland owners with a suitable area of more than 0.25 hectares.
For more information on how to apply for a grant, please see the grants and regulations section of www.forestry.gov.uk/wales
