Rural Payments and Services

The aim of these scheme is to create or expand native pinewood priority habitat of the National Vegetation Classification W18.

You must meet all eligibility criteria listed on the Woodland Creation page and:

• you must comply with the UK Forestry Standard
• the minimum planting width is 15 metres
• the minimum block size is 0.25 hectares in any one year
• the woodland must be within the pinewood zone. Select the FGS (2014-20) Eligibility/Scoring Criteria folder on the Forestry Commission Scotland Map Viewer page to see if you are eligible
• your application must meet the species composition criteria in the table below

Composition of native Scots pine woodland
Item	Minimum (per cent)	Maximum (per cent)	Minimum stocking density on the planted area at year five (per hectare)
Native Scots pine	70	85	1600
Native broadleaves or shrubs [1]	10	15	1600
Designed open ground [2]	0	15	n/a
[1] Up to 20 per cent of the native broadleaves can be native woody shrubs as recommended for this National Vegetation Classification woodland type in Forestry Commission Bulletin 112. [2] You must refer to the designed open ground guidance on the Forestry Commission Scotland Technical Support page to see how designed open ground will apply to your application. For example additional open ground, in excess of the specified percentage, may be permissible depending on the specifics of the site, but will not be eligible for grant support.

Please note that in order to achieve 100 per cent from the table above you will not be able to select all minimum or all of the maximum values.

Species selection

As an initial first step in determining whether or not the site is climatically suitable, you should view the Forestry Grant Scheme (2014–2020) Site Suitability folder on the Forestry Commission Scotland Map Viewer page.

You should also demonstrate that this National Vegetation Classification woodland type is appropriate to the site, which will be determined by existing vegetation indicators (refer to Forestry Commission Bulletin 112 – Creating New Native Woodlands), as well as climatic conditions, soil moisture and soil nutrient regimes.

Any applications that are not shown as being climatically suitable will only be considered if you can clearly demonstrate that the site is suitable for the chosen species of trees, for example where there is localised shelter in an otherwise exposed location.

As per the eligibility criteria of the woodland creation general guidance the tree species must be 'suitable' or 'very suitable' to the site.

For all native Scots pine and native broadleaves planted within this option, you must provide a copy of the supplier's document when submitting an initial planting claim (see Forestry Commission Scotland Technical Support for an example document).

As well as entering the quantity of trees and the Master Certificate Number on the suppliers document, you should also include the region of provenance, demonstrating that the trees are suitable for the site (refer to Forestry Commission Scotland guidance on Seed sources for planting native trees and shrubs in Scotland).

See the Forestry Commission's Marketing and Supplying Forest Reproductive Materials for further information.

Threshold score = 10 points

Each option within your application must meet the threshold score to be considered for approval. In achieving the threshold score, your option must score against each criterion except for additional benefit. The scores will then be used as the basis for allocating funding on a competitive basis through the Forestry Grant Scheme clearing process.

Delivery of option benefits

1 POINT – for applications that meet the eligibility criteria but do not deliver any of the benefits below.

3 POINTS – for applications that provide one or more of the following in addition to meeting the eligibility requirements:

• applications that clearly support the aims of National Park and National Scenic Areas

Or

• applications that will improve an existing wooded landscape by resolving recognised design deficiencies (usually related to the design principles of relative scale and shape)

Or

• applications which can demonstrate their design follows the guidance in Forestry Commission Scotland Bulletin 112 Creating New Native Woodlands

5 POINTS – for applications that meet one of the three point criteria above and one or more of the criteria below:

• applications that form key linkages within a habitat network between existing native pinewood areas

Or

• applications that expand designated pinewood areas

Or

• applications are within core Capercaillie areas

Or

• applications within one of the priority areas identified in the FCS-SEPA opportunity mapping projects as likely to provide multiple benefits for natural flood management and water quality. Select the Forestry Grant Scheme (2014–2020) Target Areas folder on the Forestry Commission Scotland Map Viewer to confirm your application meets this requirement.

Scale of delivery

1 POINT – applications between 0.25 hectares and 4.99 hectares.

3 POINTS – applications between 5 hectares and 19.99 hectares.

5 POINTS – applications above 20 hectares.

Delivering better quality

1 POINT – for applications that meet the minimum stocking density eligibility criteria for this option, which is:

• 1,600 stems/hectare

3 POINTS – for applications that deliver more than the minimum stocking density eligibility criteria for this option, which is:

• 10 per cent of the area within the scheme boundary planted at 3,000 stems/hectare

5 POINTS – for applications that are well in excess of the minimum stocking density eligibility criteria for this option, which is:

• 20 per cent of the area within the scheme boundary planted at 3,000 stems/hectare

Delivery of good practice

1 POINT – for applications which meet the minimum relevant industry standards, but do not deliver any of the benefits detailed below.

3 POINTS – for applications that meet one of the criteria detailed below:

• applications which demonstrate that you have liaised with consultees, communities and neighbours, prior to the scheme being submitted and addressed, where possible, any points they may have raised

5 POINTS – for applications that meet one of the criteria detailed below:

• applications which clearly demonstrate that you have thoroughly assessed the site conditions and propose the most appropriate management techniques to minimise the impacts to the environment. This must be beyond what you might be compelled to do within the conditions of the contract or recognised as an industry standard practice

Or

• applications which are community owned, led, or supported and clearly demonstrate the delivery of significant benefits to the local community such as designed landscape

Value for money

Applications where the cost of ancillary eligible capital supporting works, for example fencing, gates, tree shelters, bracken control, are:

1 POINT – more than 30 per cent of the total capital cost for initial planting.

Example Core capital item: Initial planting 0.5 hectares Native Scots Pine = £920 Ancillary capital items: Deer Fence: 200 metres x £6.80 = £1,360 Deer Gate: 1 x £172 = £172 Ancillary costs as a percentage of total grant sought: £1,532 ÷ £920 = 167%

6 POINTS – less than 30 per cent of the total capital cost for initial planting.

10 POINTS – less than 10 per cent of the total capital cost for initial planting.

Supplementary point – additional benefit

1 POINT – will be awarded, as an additional point, where:

• applications are in an area identified as ‘preferred’ within the relevant Forestry and Woodland Strategy (or equivalent)

Section	Change	Previous text	New text
Species selection	Addition of PDF with a list of tree species codes to be used.		Tree species codes (PDF)

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