A brand new drive to encourage farmers and landowners throughout England to plant and handle extra timber has been launched immediately (Tuesday, January 25).

With the Plant the Future, Put Down Roots marketing campaign, the Forestry Fee and the Division for Setting, Meals and Rural Affairs (Defra) are shedding mild on the number of grant schemes and free specialist recommendation obtainable.

The marketing campaign additionally highlights the advantages of tree planting, saying it presents alternatives to diversify, generate further revenue, improve farm productiveness and improve your land – whereas complementing meals manufacturing.

“These grants can be found to assist farmers and landowners develop and handle extra timber as a worthwhile a part of their total enterprise mannequin, and I might encourage them to have a look at that assist the place they really feel that it’s the proper selection for his or her enterprise,” stated Farming Minister Victoria Prentis.

“Bushes and woodland play an important position in defending the planet and assist mitigate the rising menace of local weather change and biodiversity loss,” stated Forestry Fee chief government Richard Stanford.

“Creating woods might be a superb method to diversify farms, particularly on marginal land – and there are thrilling alternatives to develop and handle timber in a method that maximises the advantages they supply for local weather, nature, folks and the economic system.

“As the federal government’s forestry specialists, we proceed to assist farmers and landowners to find methods to develop timber in a method which meets their particular person wants and ambitions.

“I might strongly urge everybody contemplating woodland creation to look into this promotional drive, contact their native Woodland Creation Officer and begin to put down roots, to see the tangible advantages which timber can convey to their enterprise,” Stanford concluded.