AF3: Species diversity bonus supplement

This item is part of Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Capital Grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£1.16 per tree

How this item benefits the environment

A range of tree species will help improve the resilience of your agroforestry system by reducing the impacts of disease, pests or extreme weather such as droughts.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item on your in-field agroforestry system. You can apply for it if you are establishing 5 or more different species of tree.

You can apply for this item at same time as AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree or AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree. If you are funding your trees through other means, you must obtain an invoice showing you are establishing 5 or more species.

You cannot use this item on land outside of an in-field agroforestry system.

You cannot use it in conjunction with other systems of tree planting, such as:

• woodland
• traditional orchard
• wood pasture

What you must do to use this item

You must use this item only on an agroforestry system which has 5 or more different species of tree planted in the last 12 months. These can be fruit or woodland trees, or a mixture of both.

At least 5 different species must make up least 10% of the total number of trees in the parcel. This must be clearly visible on your invoice.

For example, if you have 100 trees you must have at least 10 trees of 5 different species.

Evidence you must keep

You must keep receipts or invoices showing the number and type of trees planted and provide them with your claim.

You must also keep and supply on request a bank statement showing payment for the trees.

Read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capital grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide.

Other items and actions you can use with this item

Capital items

You can use this item with:

• AF1: Plant an agroforestry woodland tree
• AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree
• PA4: Agroforestry plan

Sustainable Farming Incentive actions

You can use this item with:

• AGF1: Maintain very low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land
• AGF2: Maintain low density in-field agroforestry on less sensitive land

Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier actions

You can use this item with:

• CAGF1: Manage high density in-field agroforestry
• CAGF2: Manage low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land
• CAGF3: Manage medium density in-field agroforestry
• CAGF4: Manage very low density in-field agroforestry on more sensitive land

*[CSHT]: Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier