Farmers and landowners are being encouraged to apply to Defra's latest two grants seeking to increase domestic production of trees and seeds.
The Tree Production Capital Grant and Seed Sourcing Grant, worth over £2.7m, aim to support efforts to build nursery capacity and boost the UK trees and seeds supply chain.
Funding will increase UK production of trees and seeds and support investments in expansion, automation and mechanisation of facilities and equipment.
Due to shortages of seed globally, Defra said it was vital that farmers, foresters and landowners helped improve the quantity, quality, diversity, and biosecurity of UK seed supply.
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.”
One farmer who applied last year is AJ Paul, director of Cutlers Wood Ltd, who received Tree Production Capital funding.
Over the last year, his nursery purchased several pieces of equipment to increase productivity whilst also improving the quality of the trees grown and ultimately their success rate.
"Like many other agricultural businesses, we were looking to diversify," Mr Paul said, "However, the capital outlay required to reach a commercial scale of tree production would not have been possible without the support of the 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”.
The Tree Production Capital Grant is open until 30 January 2024 and will provide up to £2.5 million of funding during 2024/25, subject to successful bids.
The Seed Sourcing Grant is open until 13 February 2024. and will provide up to £260,000 of funding during 2024/25, subject to successful bids.
What is an eligible activity?
Eligible activities for the Seed Sourcing Grant include:
• Management of existing Seed Stands, to ensure they are productive for seed collectors
• Desk studies and field studies to identify and bring additional Seed Stands onto the National Register of Basic Material
• Planning and planting of new Seed Stands
• Planning and planting of new Seed Orchards
Examples of eligible projects for the Tree Production Capital Grant may include:
• Intelligent transplanting systems;
• Polytunnel infrastructure and equipment;
• Seed processing and storage equipment;
• Biosecurity investments such as water treatment and refrigeration equipment.
