Thousands of trees are to be planted near schools and healthcare centres and in areas with fewer trees and higher social deprivation, as the Urban Tree Challenge Fund has re-opened for applications.
Across England, 44,000 large trees will be planted in towns and cities. The aim is to support areas to improve health and wellbeing and help connect people to the outdoors. Evidence from Forest Research shows the majority of adults surveyed agreed that their level of happiness when in nature has increased compared to before the pandemic.
The new trees will also support the UK’s journey to reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 and commitment to increase tree planting across the UK to 30,000 hectares of trees a year by 2025.
The current round of funding is open for the planting of standard trees only, to both block bids and individual applications. A block bid is designed for organisations to apply for funding for multiple projects that can be geographically dispersed or focused in one area but submitted under one application.
The guideline for block bids is a minimum funding requirement of £250,000 and there is no maximum value. Individual applications are for smaller, focused areas of planting undertaken by small organisations or community groups. These individual applications will need a minimum funding requirement of £10,000 up to a maximum of £30,000.
Applications are accepted from community and volunteer groups, town councils and individuals wishing to plant trees in urban areas of England. Applicants must have full management control over the land or signed consent from those with such control.
Applications must be submitted by 25 July 2021 (23:59 BST).
Fund details | GRANTfinder
How To Apply
Those wishing to apply should submit an Expression of Interest and return to [email protected]
Capital payments for tree planting will be provided, followed by three years of establishment payments. The three years of establishment payments are paid in two lump sums. Payments for tree planting and the first year of establishment will be paid following receipt of a claim form following completion of the works in year one. The second instalment of establishment payments will be available two years later following the submission of a claim.
Useful documents & links
Useful Links
Addresses and contacts
For further information on how to obtain this grant locally, please contact the following:
- Enquiries
Forestry Commission
620 Bristol Business Park
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1EJ
Email: [email protected]