Woodland Management Plans

Funded plans for landowners with existing woodland.

The situation

Unmanaged woodland doesn't stay the same

It deteriorates. Structure weakens, species composition shifts, and the longer it's left the more it costs to correct. Most landowners across Cumbria and the North can see this in their woodland. They just haven't had a clear route forward.

A woodland management plan changes that. It sets out exactly what you have, what your woodland should be doing, and the practical steps to get there. Fully funded, with no obligation to act on any of it.

What's involved

What a woodland management plan is

We visit your site and carry out a full condition assessment: species, structure, age class, threats, and opportunity. From that, we consult the Forestry Commission and write a ten-year management plan to their standard.

The plan is funded in full through the PA3 grant. It costs you nothing. Once it's written, it's yours. There's no obligation to carry out any of the recommended works, and no obligation to use us if you do.

PA3 Grant:

LSH Forestry will apply for the PA3 grant on your behalf.
Once the grant is in place we will carry out the works.
Once the management plan is approved we will claim the grant on your behalf and invoice you for the same amount. You receive the grant, then you pay our bill.
In the majority of cases the grant will cover 100% of the costs. We will let you know up front if this is not the case.
If you are VAT registered we will charge you the value of the grant plus VAT.
If you are not VAT registered, we will charge you the value of the grant including VAT.

The financial case

What a management plan unlocks

Up to £494

per hectare, per year

Countryside Stewardship annual payments for woodland management and species control, paid for ten years. Available once your management plan is in place and an agreement is approved.

10 years

felling licence

A ten-year felling licence giving you the legal authority to carry out timber operations within your management programme.

Capital

payments for infrastructure

Grant-funded capital payments for fencing, access roads, drainage, and other woodland infrastructure. Stacked on top of annual management payments.

Value

long-term capital improvement

Actively managed woodland commands a higher capital value. A plan and a Stewardship agreement are demonstrable evidence of that management.

A management plan is the prerequisite for all of the above. Without one, none of it is accessible.

The process

How it works

1

Tell us about your woodland

A short conversation to confirm eligibility and understand your situation. No site visit at this stage. Just a call or an email.
2

We visit and write the plan

We carry out the site assessment, consult the Forestry Commission, and produce the ten-year plan. Fully funded through the PA3 grant. No cost to you.
3

You decide what to do next

The plan is yours. You can proceed with a Countryside Stewardship application, carry out the works unfunded, or do nothing. The choice is entirely yours.

Eligibility

Who qualifies

The requirements are minimal:

Your woodland must be at least 0.5 hectares and at least 20m wide (20m x 250m = 0.5ha)
It must be in England

Most woodland in Cumbria and the wider North qualifies. If you're unsure, get in touch and we'll confirm eligibility in a matter of minutes.

Get started

Check if your woodland qualifies

Fill in the form below and we'll be in touch within 2 working days to talk through your woodland.