Sustainable woodlands have been prioritised with the expansion of the 'Forests for Our Future' programme in Northern Ireland.

This next stage of the programme sees the opening of the Forest Expansion Scheme & Small Woodland Grant Schemes to encourage and help landowners plant their own woodlands.

The Small Woodland Grant Scheme is designed as a simple online scheme for new native woodlands of 0.2 hectares and larger, while the Forest Expansion Scheme supports native woodland, mixed woodland or commercial conifer woodland that can best meet land owners business needs whilst contributing to a living, working, active landscape. Successful applicants to the schemes will receive up to 100% of eligible establishment costs and annual premium payments for a 10-year period.


Launching the next stage of the programme, Environment Minister Edwin Poots said: "I am delighted to announce the reopening of the Forest Expansion Scheme and Small Woodland Grant Scheme for 2022 on 15 June. These schemes are designed to attract and support farmers and other landowners to plant new woodland to complement their land management activity and add to our valuable woodland assets.

"I am pleased that in the last year land owners planted 525 hectares of new woodland under forestry grant schemes support. This is an encouraging response on our journey to increase the level of afforestation needed to reach the targets set out in the challenging Forests for Our Future programme.

"The reopening of our forestry grant schemes will enable private land owners and public sector organisations to bring forward new woodland creation projects for the forthcoming planting season."

Landowners who wish to plant this winter are reminded that all applications to the Forest Expansion Scheme must be submitted to Forest Service by 31 August 2022. All applications to the Small Woodland Grant Scheme must be made using the online system before 31 August 2022. Early applications are encouraged and can be made at any time following the schemes opening.