Woodland Tree Health Grants: Restocking After Ash Dieback Without Losing It to Deer

Ash dieback has left gaps in woods right across the north of England, and larch and sweet chestnut are being felled for disease too. The Woodland Tree Health grant ↗ exists to help put those woods back, and it's open for applications all year from 5 January 2026.

Two grants, two jobs

The WTH Restoration grant supports restocking woodland after trees have been felled because of a tree health problem. The WTH Improvement grant funds removing trees infected with certain Phytophthora diseases, along with infected or at-risk rhododendron. For most landowners dealing with ash dieback, Restoration is the one that matters.

Which diseases qualify

Restoration covers restocking after felling for Chalara dieback of ash, Phytophthora ramorum or Phytophthora pseudosyringae on larch or sweet chestnut, Phytophthora pluvialis on Douglas fir or western hemlock, and sweet chestnut blight. The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle doesn't qualify, and spruce planting is restricted in areas where it's been found.

What it pays

Restoration is paid against standard items, capped per hectare: up to £6,000 for native species on ancient woodland sites and £4,720 elsewhere, and up to £3,000 for non-native species on ancient woodland sites and £3,850 elsewhere. Within that, trees are paid at £1.72 each, tree shelters at £2.43, deer fencing at £10.27 per metre, and deer exclosure plots at £212.56.

Eligibility in brief

The woodland block needs to be at least 0.1 hectares, the work has to come to at least £500, and the land must be entirely in England. You'll need a felling licence where one applies, and either a Statutory Plant Health Notice or Forestry Commission confirmation of the disease. Agreements give you three years to complete the work, and you need management control of the land for five.

Why restocking is where deer do the most damage

Felling opens up the canopy and lets light in, which brings on exactly the kind of fresh growth deer seek out, right next to the cover of the remaining wood. Any deer already using that woodland will find the new trees within weeks. Choosing between fencing the whole restock and guarding individual trees depends on the size of the area and the species present, the same decision covered in fencing, guards, or culling.

How to apply

Applications go to the Rural Payments Agency by email or post on the WTH application form, with annotated maps and any consents. A Forestry Commission woodland officer assesses the site. Felling licences and site visits take time, so it's worth starting early rather than leaving it to the end of the year.

Before you decide how to protect the restock, it's worth knowing which deer are using the wood and how hard. A Deer Number Survey & Impact Assessment is free, and it gives you the evidence to justify the protection you're asking the grant to pay for.