Sheep and Trees Initiative

This funding package combines woodland creation and road infrastructure grants. 

This will help you maximise the benefits of new woodlands and improve access on the farm.

How Sheep and Trees can support your business 

New woodlands with clear goals, good design, and careful placement in hill and upland sheep farms can benefit your business in many ways, like:

• shelter, shade, and extended grazing season
• more manageable grazing units
• increased productivity, particularly on poorer-quality land
• retaining the same flock size while introducing trees as a new crop
• significantly improving on-farm access through the use of well-planned forest access roads
• reducing farming costs and maintaining income, leading to improved net income
• growing trees into a valuable capital asset and a future source of income

If you plant on eligible land, your new woodland creation will not impact your Basic Area Payments. 

You can graze your new woodland when the trees are mature enough. This can happen within 10 years, depending on the species and growth rate.

Are you eligible?

Sheep and Trees is available to upland livestock farmers where sheep are a major component and who will continue to farm. 

It is not aimed at a target area. 

The new woodland must be 10 to 50 hectares of productive conifer woodland. 

You can choose either the Conifer or Diverse Conifer options. 

For more information on Woodland Creation options and eligibility, visit Rural Payments and Services. 

Woodland creation (Rural Payments and Services website)