Branching Out Fund Accepting Applications for 2024/25 Winter Planting Season

The Tree Council is offering grants of between £250 and £2,500 for schools, constituted community groups and charities, community interest companies, Tree Warden networks, and other organisations across the UK to deliver tree-planting projects during the 2024/25 Winter planting season (between the end of November 2024 and early February 2025).

Through the Branching Out Fund, groups can purchase:

• Bare root, UK-sourced and grown, native trees of an appropriate size (priority will be given to younger trees that will establish better).
• UK-sourced and grown, bare-root whips (saplings) and cell-grown (root trainer) stock for hedging projects (between 40-120cm height).
• Hedgerow trees.
• Orchards, such as fruit trees on semi-vigorous, vigorous, and very vigorous rootstocks.
• Cardboard/bioplastic tree/hedge guards.
• Non-plastic ties.
• Stakes (coppiced material such as chestnut or hazel is preferred, although machined softwood will also be considered).
• Mulch.
• Non-peat-based soil improvers if needed.

The following may also be considered:

• Non-native tree varieties if appropriate to the setting.
• Non-native varieties and species that are chosen with climate change adaptation and resilience in mind.
• Fruit trees on dwarfing rootstock if the setting is appropriate.
• Trees in containers/raised beds if the reason is adequately explained and supported by a robust and comprehensive irrigation and aftercare plan.
• More robust and costly guards if the setting justifies it.
• Other project resources to support tree establishment such as irrigation equipment like watering cans/irrigation aids, and PPE.

Priority will be given to applicants that have strong community engagement embedded from the beginning of the planting project.

The deadline for applications is 1 December 2024 (midnight).

Further details can be found in the attached and via the link here: Grant funding to support tree, hedgerow and orchard establishment (treecouncil.org.uk)