Working with England’s Community Forests: Our guide for farmers and landowners

England’s Community Forests (ECF) offers farmers and landowners a unique opportunity to diversify their land use and contribute to a greener future.

Who are England’s Community Forests?

A network of 15 individual Community Forests based across the country, ECF is led by partnerships between local authorities, environmental bodies like the Forestry Commission, and community groups. We aim to create woodlands that provide a wide range of social, economic, and environmental benefits that support our communities, like reducing flood risk.

How do we work with farmers and landowners?

ECF works with organisations such as the Forestry Commission, Natural England, the Country Land and Business Association, and the National Farmers’ Union to ensure that the interests of farmers and landowners are represented.

The following principles help us ensure the best possible opportunities for landowners and farmers whilst safeguarding their interests:

Voluntary involvement: Participation in ECF initiatives is entirely voluntary.
No compulsory purchase: There will be no compulsory purchase of land for ECF purposes.
Landlord and tenant agreement: Tree planting on tenanted land requires the consent of both landlord and tenant.
Access rights: Existing legal access rights are not affected by ECF designations. There is no obligation on landowners to provide additional public access.

What can we offer?

ECF partnerships work closely with local farmers and landowners and with the regulator, the Forestry Commission, offering advice and support on:

Woodland creation and management: Guidance on suitable tree species, planting schemes, and sustainable woodland management practices.
Farm diversification: Exploring opportunities for integrating woodland into existing farm businesses, such as agroforestry, woodfuel production, or nature-based tourism.
Whole farm planning: Developing integrated land management plans that maximise the benefits of woodland creation for landscape, biodiversity, and farm income.
Access management: Advice on managing existing access, including public rights of way, options for providing new access where the land owner is providing access, and advice on Environmental Impact Assessments with the Forestry Commission.

ECF can also unlock a range of funding schemes to support woodland creation and management, including:

Trees For Climate: A multi-million pound woodland creation programme with one of the most competitive grant schemes for tree planting available today.
Forestry Commission grant – the England Woodland Creation Offer: Grants for creating new woodlands, including support for planning and preparation.
Environmental Land Management Schemes: Including Countryside Stewardship, managed by the Forestry Commission and Natural England and offering funding for a range of environmental land management options, including woodland management, hedgerow creation, and water quality improvements.
Green Finance: Green finance can support community forests through direct grants, innovative mechanisms, and carbon markets to fund woodland creation and management.

Find out more and get in touch

For further information and advice, visit: www.englandscommunityforests.org.uk/contact-us/

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