FAQs

Woodland can be designed around existing land use. We work with your objectives, not against them. 

No. We work with landowners of all scales. Every hectare contributes to the connected regional plan. 

Timber is a long-term crop, but woodland creation funding and nature-based payments can generate returns much earlier. We’ll model the financial case for your land. 

We’re honest about uncertainty. That’s why we design schemes that stack multiple funding sources and deliver farm-level benefits. 

We know you’re busy, that’s why we exist. We handle design, planning, funding applications and approvals. You make the decisions; we do the complex work. 

Yes – we navigate grant and funding access for you, including schemes and emerging income routes from nature-based payments. 

Yes – and it can be complex to navigate. We do that for you, identifying the best combination of grants and incentives for your land. 

Species selection is based on your soil type, farming system, long-term objectives and routes to market. Western Forest provides the options but you decide what to plant. 

We think every farm can benefit from integrating more trees. However, we undertake a thorough site assessment with you – if you don’t feel confident in the options provided, or if it is unsuitable because of landscape character, heritage, infrastructure or nature, no planting will happen. 

Species selection is based on your soil type, location, watercourses and wildlife objectives. Native species are prioritised, with diversity built in to ensure resilience against disease and climate change. 

Agroforestry is classified as agricultural land use, not forestry. Established systems with productive trees and healthy soils can increase land value. If you farm as a tenant, Western Forest will work with you and your landlord to explore the best options for you both.  

Small reductions in space for crops and pasture are offset by improvements elsewhere: better soil moisture retention leading to better growth, reduced livestock heat stress and stronger performance in drought and wet years. The net effect, particularly over time and in extreme weather, is greater productivity. 

No, none at all. 

The woodland management planning service is fully funded for qualifying landowners. There’s no upfront cost. 

Not at all. We focus particularly on under-managed and fragmented sites. That’s exactly where we can add the most value. 

We work with your objectives. Plans can be tailored to prioritise nature recovery, access or resilience – or a combination of all three. 

The Western Forest is backed by a £7.5 million Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) grant over five years (2025–2030), hosted by the Forest of Avon Trust. This gives us a stable foundation – our fundraising is about ambition, not need: building the partnerships and investment that let us go further than government funding alone can take us.

As Western Forest doesn’t hold independent charity status, individual and corporate donations are routed through our host organisation, the Forest of Avon Trust, so they can be made tax-efficiently. 

Depending on the size and nature of your contribution, your support can help fund new woodland creation, agroforestry demonstration farms, community access and engagement, farmer and land manager grants, or the core team and partnerships that hold the whole programme together. Tell us a bit about what interests you and we’ll talk through the options.

Please visit our Invest in Woodland Creation page to find out more and to get in touch.

While we don’t currently have the capacity to bring on volunteers to work directly with our core team, there are lots of volunteering opportunities available across our partner organisations in the Western Forest region – particularly in planting season (November-March). Please visit our Volunteering page to find out more.

Please visit our Partner and Collaborate page to learn more and to get in touch.

We have over 35 partners across the Western Forest region, bringing together existing experience and expertise and working in close connection. You can learn more about the partnership on the Who We Are page.