Small woodland loan scheme (SWLS)

Am I eligible?

This scheme is only available for new applications to the Forestry Grant Scheme.

To be eligible for the SWLS, you must meet the woodland creation eligibility criteria.

You can check this on the Rural Payments and Service website.

Explore the Woodland creation grant (Rural Payments and Service website)

Note, your application for the Small Woodland Loan Scheme (SWLS) can be no more than 50 hectares.

You'll get 50% of the value of the capital items in your approved Forestry Grant Scheme contract to a maximum of £40,000.

If you secure a loan against a Forestry Grant Scheme contract, you will only be able to claim the Forestry Grant Scheme capital items in one claim.

You should consider this rule carefully if:

your application size is between 20 and 50 hectares
you are getting the maximum loan and only one capital payment (as this may not give you as much financial support as the current claim rules for the Forestry Grant Scheme)

To apply, you can ‘opt in’ on the appropriate section within your Woodland Creation Operational Plan.

This is a mandatory document you need to submit when you apply for the Forestry Grant Scheme.

If your application for woodland creation is greater than 5 hectares, you must use the Woodland Creation Operational Plan.