Woodlands for Water

Woodlands for Water (WfW) is a Defra-supported project that aims to create 3,150 hectares of trees in six river catchment areas by March 2025. WfW is also the first project to be developed by the new ‘Riverscapes’ partnership – which comprises of experts from the National Trust, Woodland Trust, Rivers Trust and Beaver Trust.

Expert assistance will be provided by the partnership in selecting appropriate locations for trees, ensuring that the planting provides multiple benefits such as capturing pollutants, preventing floods and droughts, creating wildlife corridors to boost biodiversity and providing shade and cooling water temperatures.

Farmers and landowners will be able to apply for funding through the ‘England Woodland Creation Offer’ grant (plus a simple carbon trading offer). They can also apply for the Woodland Creation Planning Grant (WCPG) with no obligation to plant. From this, they would receive £1,500 and a woodland plan that can be used for future applications.

Locally, work will focus on the Bure, Gaywood, Glaven, Heacham, Lark, Little Ouse, Stiffkey, Wensum and Wissey river catchments, with Norfolk Rivers Trust supporting the delivery.

View the Rivers Trust’s ‘Woodlands for Water’ story map to find out more, or contact Farming & Land Management Adviser Charlotte Briggs on 07940 0279916 / [email protected]

This project has been delivered through the Nature for Climate funding from Defra. You can read more via their Put Down Roots campaign here.

Resources

Watch the ‘Inspiring Woodland Creation: Woods and Water webinar‘ recording from June 2022 to hear about the issues affecting water and the benefits that trees can provide to help combat these issues, as well as the opportunities for creating woodlands on farms and landholdings and the funding available.