Against the background of ambitious targets to increase tree cover in Wales to help mitigate and adapt to the challenges presented by climate change, NFU Cymru launched the Growing Together initiative, which promotes a philosophy to future tree planting in Wales that advocates more trees integrated into farming systems – rather than replacing farming systems, allowing food production, farming, trees, nature, landscapes and rural communities to thrive. This ties into our commitment to net zero farming and the NFU’s Net Zero roadmap.
At NFU Cymru we firmly believe agriculture is uniquely placed to be part of the solution to climate change and that climate goals should be met in ways that are sustainable and fair. Tree planting targets should not be achieved through a binary choice of farming or forestry, instead Wales’ ambitious targets should be progressed in a way that safeguards the multiple economic, environmental, social and cultural benefits that Welsh farming provides.
On this page, we have gathered together all the useful information and links from Natural Resources Wales, to help guide members interested in tree planting to the most appropriate schemes and funding.
Professional help with tree planting
Coed Cymru
Advice for farmers, woodland owners and managers, community groups and timber businesses.
Woodland Trust
Get advice on all aspects of tree planting and buy UK grown saplings from the Woodland Trust.
Llais y Goedwig (Community woods)
Get advice, support and resources on creating and maintaining a community woodland from the network of community woodlands.
Register of woodland planners
Find a list of Glastir registered foresters on the Welsh Government website
Farming Connect
Support for farmers and foresters on all financial aspects of establishing and managing woodlands.
Institute of Chartered Foresters
Find a directory of qualified forestry consultants on the ICF website.
Checking land suitability
You can look for suitable land or check that the piece of land you are thinking about is suitable for woodland creation on the Woodland Opportunity Map.
Lle Woodland Opportunity Maps - Find areas of Wales which are most suited to new woodland creation
Funding your project
Small Grants - Woodland Creation Scheme for small areas of tree planting under two hectares: Small Grants - Woodland Creation | Sub-topic | GOV.WALES
Woodland Creation Grant for larger schemes and those not suitable for the Small Grants scheme: Woodland Creation Grant | Sub-topic | GOV.WALES
Woodland Creation Planning Pilot Scheme
Information on a new Welsh Government Scheme to encourage woodland creation over 2 hectares in size. You can submit an expression of interest ahead of the scheme being launched in 2022.
Heritage Fund Community Woodlands
Find out about grants for not-for-profit organisations restoring, creating, and managing woodlands in Wales.
Woodland Trust
Find information on grants and funding for large scale tree planting on the Woodland Trust website
Find information on support, packs and funding for school or community group planting on the Woodland Trust website
The Tree Council
Find out about grants offered for schools, community groups and Tree Warden Networks to plant trees, hedges and orchards.
Various crowd-funding platforms are available. These are increasingly popular for community projects.
Understanding species choice
Selecting the right tree for your location is crucial to the success of your project, the following can provide initial advice.
You can also check with your forest planner or contact our Woodland Creation Team.
Tree Council – Tree planning guide
Download a guide to tree planting from the Tree Council
Environment Systems
Find detailed research and information on tree suitability from consultancy firm Environment Systems
Land managers
Register of woodland planners
Find a list of Glastir registered foresters on the Welsh Government website
Farming Connect
Support for farmers and foresters on all financial aspects of establishing and managing woodlands.
Coed Cymru
Advice for farmers, woodland owners and managers, community groups and timber businesses.
Severn Rivers Trust -
Get on-site advice and support on the creation of dedicated farm and water management plans, identifying potential for habitat creation, natural flood management and carbon capture
Commercial planting
If you are looking to learn more about larger scale operational forestry, the following organisations can help.
Confor (Confederation of Forest Industries)
Membership organisation for sustainable forestry and wood using businesses.
Woodland Trust
Find information on grants and funding for large scale tree planting on the Woodland Trust website
Regulations and certification
The following links provide information on the regulations governing woodland creation and any certification that you may need to consider.
UK Forestry Standard
The United Kingdom Forestry Standard is the standard reference material for sustainable forest management in the UK. It outlines the context for forestry, sets out the approach of the UK governments to sustainable forest management, defines standards and requirements, and provides a basis for regulation and monitoring.
Download the UK Forestry Standard from Gov.uk
Environmental Impact Assessments
To protect Wales' environment and natural resources, it is important that an assessment is made of the impacts of potential projects and plans.
Read about Environmental Impact Assessments for forestry projects
UK Woodland Assurance Standard (UKWAS)
UKWAS is an independent certification standard for verifying sustainable woodland management in the UK. It is used for both Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) certification.
Find out more about UKWAS on their website
Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC)
PEFC endorse national forest certification systems and provide databases of certificate holders and quality assurance badge holders.
Find PEFC endorsed certification schemes on the PEFC website
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
The Forest Stewardship Council provide certification that a forest is being managed in a way that preserves biological diversity and benefits the lives of local people and workers, while ensuring it sustains economic viability.
Get advice on sustainable forestry from the Forest Stewardship Council
Glastir Woodland Creation guide
The Welsh Government Glastir Woodland Creation scheme guide explains what you need to do and when, to get your planting scheme right first time.
Download the Glastir Woodland Creation Guide for schemes over a quarter of a hectare
Glastir Woodland Creation planners’ guide
Find out how to identify environmental sensitivities which may affect your proposed site in the Glastir Woodland Creation planners’ guide (GN0002)
Download 'Providing additional evidence to support Glastir Woodland Creation applications (GN009)' identifies priority habitats and sets out how to provide photographs and commission an ecological survey to provide evidence for the verification of a GWC's scheme in compliance with the UK Forestry Standard
Woodland Carbon Code
Woodland Carbon Code is the quality assurance standard for woodland creation projects in the UK, and generates independently verified carbon units.
Register with the Woodland Carbon Code on their website
Skills and training
The following organisations may be able to help you develop your skills in woodland creation and forest management
Institute of Chartered Foresters
Find information on training, apprenticeships and volunteering opportunities on the ICF website.
Focus on Forestry First
Find information on training and skills development for anyone involved in any sector of the Welsh trees & timber industry.
Forest Park Garden Training
Find on-site (near Cardiff) training courses in practical elements of forest management
Community planting
Llais y Goedwig (Community woods)
Get advice, support and resources on creating and maintaining a community woodland from the network of community woodlands.
PATT foundation
Get community group support from the Plant a Tree Today Foundation.
Keep Wales Tidy – Tiny Forests
Find out about tiny forests (dense, native woodland, the size of a tennis court, with 1,000 trees of 25 different species).
The Queen's Green Canopy
Find out about an initiative to encourage individuals, schools and communities to plant trees to commemorate the Queen's platinum jubilee in 2022.