Rural Payments and Services

The aim of this item is to benefit ancient wood pasture, or existing hedges where trees within hedgerows form part of the local landscape.

Planting new standard or half-standard trees will enhance the local landscape or allow the maintenance and expansion of ancient wood pasture.

Individual trees provide a valuable habitat for a wide variety of plants and animals within old pastures and hedgerows.

Any land with ancient wood pasture or an existing hedgerow is eligible.

You must combine this item with one of the following management options:

• Ancient Wood Pasture
• Management or Restoration of Hedgerows
• Creation of Hedgerows

You must mark the location(s) where you propose to plant individual trees on a map and note the species to be planted.

• you must plant using native species only. Unless you have been given prior approval as part of the application process, the trees must be of UK provenance
• trees must be at least half-standard, or standard. They must therefore have a clear stem height of at least 1.2 metres before the canopy starts
• you must protect the new plants from damage by wild and domestic herbivores. For ancient wood pasture trees this protection must be a post and rail guard. For hedgerow trees, this protection must be by either a tube and stake, with a tube of at least 1.2 metres high, or a post, strut, spacer and tree tie
• you must replace any tree which fails to establish

You can claim £100.00 for every tree planted.

To support the replacement or replanting of trees, you can select this item with the following item:

• Post and Rail Tree Guards

The inspectors will check:

• the location and extent of the work
• trees are at least half-standard, or standard. They must therefore have a clear stem height of at least 1.2 metres before the canopy starts
• you have protected the new plants from damage by wild and domestic herbivores. For ancient wood pasture trees this protection must be a post and rail guard. For hedgerow trees, this protection must be by either a tube and stake, with a tube of at least 1.2 metres high, or a post, strut, spacer and tree tie
• you have replaced any tree which fails to establish

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