Creating a New Woodland in Cumbria — What is Involved and Where to Start

Woodland creation in Cumbria and the Lake District is having something of a moment. The combination of government tree planting targets, the England Woodland Creation Offer bringing meaningful grant funding to the table, growing interest in carbon sequestration, and a recognition that well-placed woodland helps manage the flood risk that Cumbrian communities know only too well, has meant that more landowners across South Lakeland, the Furness Peninsula and the Lune Valley are seriously considering planting trees on land that has not carried woodland before.

We are involved in this work, both through the planting itself and through the ongoing management of newly established woodland in its early years. This article is a practical guide to what woodland creation actually involves, written for landowners who are interested but not sure where to start.

Is Your Land Suitable?

Not all land in Cumbria is suitable for new woodland creation, and being clear about suitability upfront saves a lot of time. Some factors that affect suitability include:

• Planning designations. Land in the Lake District National Park, on the Arnside and Silverdale AONB, within Sites of Special Scientific Interest or on Common Land all carry restrictions or additional requirements. Woodland creation on these areas is possible but requires more careful navigation of the consent process
• Agricultural land grade. Higher-grade agricultural land carries more scrutiny for woodland creation proposals. Land in grades 3b, 4 and 5 is generally more straightforward for planting
• Existing habitat value. Land that already carries valuable habitats, such as upland heath, species-rich grassland or floodplain meadow, should not be planted with trees without careful ecological assessment. The Forestry Commission will not approve grants for planting on land that would result in net loss of priority habitats
• Deer pressure. Cumbria has significant roe deer populations across much of the county, and red deer on the open fell. New planting without appropriate deer management, either fencing or individual tree protection, has a low success rate in heavily grazed areas
• Ground conditions. Very wet or poorly drained land may be better suited to alder and willow planting along watercourses than to broadleaf woodland creation. Species choice needs to match the site

What Grant Funding is Available?

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is the main grant funding route for new woodland creation in England, replacing the previous Woodland Creation Planning Grant and Woodland Creation Establishment Grant. It provides both capital funding for establishment costs and annual maintenance payments for up to ten years after planting.

The basic payment rate covers fencing, ground preparation and tree stock costs for most woodland creation projects. Additional payments are available for woodland creation that delivers specific public benefits, including water quality improvements, flood risk reduction, priority habitat creation, access provision and proximity to settlements. Given that woodland creation in the Cumbrian uplands and river catchments often delivers multiple water and flood benefits, the additional payments available can be significant.

The Woodland Trust also offers its MOREwoods scheme for smaller-scale planting proposals, which can be a more accessible route for landowners wanting to plant between half a hectare and a hundred hectares without going through the full EWCO application process.

Grant funding availability and rates change periodically. The Forestry Commission website holds the most current information, and we would recommend checking there or speaking to a woodland creation consultant before making any commitments based on figures quoted elsewhere.

Species Choice for Cumbria

Choosing the right species for a new woodland in Cumbria is one of the most important decisions in the whole process, and one where local knowledge genuinely matters. The broad principle is to match species to site conditions and to favour native species with good ecological value, while also thinking about the resilience of the planting to future climate and disease pressures.

For most lowland sites in South Lakeland, the Furness Peninsula and the Lune Valley, a good native broadleaf mix for new woodland might include pedunculate oak as the principal canopy species, with birch as a nurse species to provide early structure and shelter, hazel as understorey, and a mixture of wild cherry, field maple, guelder rose, hawthorn, blackthorn and holly as shrub layer components. On wetter sites, alder and grey willow along drainage features, with the broadleaf mix on better-drained ground above.

For upland sites, sessile oak, rowan, birch, hazel and alder are the core native species of the Lake District fells and are the most appropriate choices for upland woodland creation in our area. These species are proven in Cumbrian conditions, support the specialist invertebrate and bird communities of the upland Lake District, and have good long-term resilience.

We would generally caution against planting ash given the current ash dieback situation, unless using material sourced from trees that have demonstrated some tolerance. The picture may change as more tolerant material becomes available, but at present ash in new woodland planting carries significant uncertainty.

The Establishment Phase

The first five years of a new woodland are the most critical and the most labour-intensive. Even with good site preparation and appropriate species choice, new planting requires active management to get established successfully. Key establishment tasks include:

• Weed control around young trees, particularly in the first two to three years when grass and rank vegetation can suppress young plants fatally if left unchecked
• Checking and maintaining deer fencing or individual tree protection throughout the establishment period
• Replacing any failed plants, known as beating up, typically in years two and three
• Monitoring for pests and diseases, including grey squirrel bark stripping, which can devastate young beech and sycamore in particular

Countryside Stewardship capital items cover some establishment costs, and the annual management payments under EWCO are designed to contribute to these ongoing establishment tasks. However, realistic budgeting for the establishment phase is essential before committing to a new woodland creation project.

Long-Term Management

New woodland does not manage itself, and one of the most common mistakes in woodland creation projects is investing in planting without planning for the long-term management of the woodland as it matures. A woodland that is not managed after establishment tends to develop a uniform, closed canopy structure with low biodiversity value.

Planning for early management interventions, including thinning to release the best trees, the introduction of coppice management where appropriate, and the maintenance of open glades and rides for biodiversity, should be part of the original woodland design rather than an afterthought.

We carry out woodland management across South Lakeland, the Lake District, the Furness Peninsula and North Lancashire, including the ongoing management of woodland that we have been involved in establishing. See our woodland management page for more on our ongoing management services.

Talking It Through

If you have land in Cumbria that you are thinking about planting, we are happy to have an initial conversation about what is involved and whether your site looks suitable. We are not forestry grant consultants and would not pretend to be, but we have practical experience of what works and what does not in Cumbrian conditions, and we can point you in the right direction for the next steps whether that is a Forestry Commission woodland officer, a woodland creation consultant, or a grant application.

Phone/WhatsApp: 07376804724
Email: enquiries@maxreynoldstreeservices.com

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