The latest round of Seed Sourcing Grant and Tree Production Capital Grants have opened, in a bid to improve the biosecurity and diversity of England’s trees and seeds.

With almost £3m available for domestic trees and seeds production professional foresters, landowners, nurseries and seed suppliers are all encouraged to apply.

The Tree Production Capital Grant:

Supports efforts to build nursery capacity and grow trees and seeds supply chains for the long-term. 

Funding will support investments in expansion, automation and mechanisation of facilities and equipment.

Designed to complement the Tree Production Innovation Fund, which supports project research into the enhancement of tree production methods throughout England. 

Examples of eligible projects include intelligent transplanting systems, seed processing and storage equipment and biosecurity investments.

More information on the Tree Production Capital Grant can be found here.

The Seed Sourcing Grant:

Helps to boost domestic tree seed production and supports green jobs, facilitating the rising demand for trees and the government’s tree planting targets. 

Examples of eligible activities include the management of existing Seed Stands, desk and field studies to identify and bring additional Seed Stands into the National Register of Basic Material.

More information on the Seed Sourcing grant can be found here.

“These important grants have played a valuable role in helping boost domestic trees and seed production and develop employment opportunities in the sector,” says Forestry Commission chief executive, Richard Stanford.

The Tree Production Capital Grant is open until 30 January 2024 and will provide up to £2.5m of funding, and the Seed Sourcing Grant is open until 13 February 2024 and will provide up to £260,000 of funding.