New £1m Trees Outside Woodland Fund now open
Join Monday's online talk for more...
Grants to support the establishment of thousands of trees, orchards and hedgerows on streets, in parks, and in community and educational spaces across the UK, are now available through The Tree Council – including the introduction of a new £1m grant pot, funded by Defra.
The Tree Council, the national charity working together for the love of trees, offers a range of funding and free tree options to support planting projects; helping to bring greater biodiversity, improved air quality, reduced risk of flooding, and deliver significant environmental enhancement to grant recipients and their communities, from the north of Scotland to the tip of England, in Wales, and Northern Ireland.
And now, a new £1m Trees Outside Woodland Fund is available in England, offering grants of up to £40,000 for local authorities and larger charities to grow trees on land that is publicly accessible, or of benefit to the public.
The Tree Council CEO, Sara Lom said: “Trees outside woodland are the trees we all come across most often – those in our parks, on our streets, and even the hedgerows that help capture carbon and act as heritage highways for a rich array of wildlife.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Defra to offer this additional Tree Council grant opportunity to benefit people, wildlife and our planet.”
Aiming to support the establishment of tens of thousands of trees, the new Trees Outside Woodland Fund is open for planting projects across the 2025/26 season in England. Successful applicants must use biosecure stock and all projects must be completed by March 2026.
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “Trees bring us peace, shade and joy, and people feel deeply connected to them across the country. This funding will see thousands of trees planted as part of our Plan for Change, to bring nature closer to people”
Nature Minister Mary Creagh said: “Trees bring us peace, shade and joy, and people feel deeply connected to them across the country. This funding will see thousands of trees planted as part of our Plan for Change, to bring nature closer to people.
“We have already launched the first new national forest in 30 years, mapped every tree in England, convened the Tree Planting Taskforce, and are investing £400m in tree planting and peatland restoration.”
The new fund joins four existing grant opportunities available through The Tree Council, working with partners at Network Rail, SP Energy Networks (SPEN), and National Highways, as well as The Tree Council’s own Branching Out programme.
The Network Rail Community Planting Fund is available for planting projects in England, Scotland and Wales, providing grants between £2,500 and £10,000. Successful applicants must show clear community benefit and involvement, and the planting must take place on publicly accessible land.
The Tree Council’s partnership with SPEN is for projects in Scotland only, providing grant funding of between £2,500 and £10,000 to communities for the establishment of trees outside woodland.
National Highways’ 3 Million Trees programme is a partnership with National Highways, The Tree Council and Greenwood Plants. Unlike the other funding opportunities, this programme provides free UK grown trees – with applications invited for projects seeking to establish between 2,500 and 50,000 trees, in England only.
The Tree Council CEO, Sara Lom said: “Submit your applications as early as you can, and together we can help deliver the joy of trees to more neighbourhoods”
The Tree Council’s successful and long running Branching Out fund is also now open for applications for planting projects throughout the UK, valued between £250 and £2,500.
The Tree Council CEO, Sara Lom added: “We all know how important trees are to our communities and how community planting projects bring people together with a sense of shared ownership, learning and care.
“Submit your applications as early as you can, and together we can help deliver the joy of trees to more neighbourhoods.”
All grant options are accompanied by expert advice and support from The Tree Council, from application, to planting, to ensuring the trees are able to establish successfully.
The Tree Council is hosting a free, online talk to discuss the funding opportunities available, this Monday 16 June, from 2 - 3pm. You can book your place here. To find out more about The Tree Council’s grants programme, and to progress your application, please visit www.treecouncil.org.uk/grants-and-guidance/our-grants/
MORE: The important work of nurturing trees by Katie Rafferty
Find out more about The Tree Council at treecouncil.org.uk. Sign up to our monthly newsletter The Leaflet, and follow our social accounts: Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIN, X/Twitter, YouTube.
This is fantastic news, especially if grants can be targeted towards neighbourhoods which have no trees at all. I've let my local council know about the programme.
Fantastic work but unless you take a stance on controlling grey squirrels, you are wasting your time and money. We would be happy to help free of charge. jimfoxall@btinternet.com