BC4: Tree Guard Post and wire

This item is part of Protection and Infrastructure grants 2025. You must read the Protection and Infrastructure grants 2025 guidance to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£132.16 per tree guard.

How this item benefits the environment

This item helps beavers to remain on river catchments and protects valued trees.

Where you can use this item

You can use this item:

• where there’s evidence of beaver activity within the river catchment area you’re protecting – see section 2.1.2 of the Protection and Infrastructure guidance for a list of catchment areas

• on trees with a commercial, amenity or ornamental value – an ornamental tree is a tree that’s grown only for its appearance and not for harvest of fruit or wood for commercial gain

• on trees within 100 metres (m) of a water body or watercourse where beavers are foraging or there’s a strong likelihood of foraging

You cannot use this item on historic or archaeological features as identified in your Historic Environment Farm Environment Record (HEFER).

What you must do to use this item

You must:

• use a minimum of 2 stakes that are at least 0.5m apart

• one stake should be 1.5m high, the other at least 0.5m

• use galvanised weld mesh that’s at least 1.8 millimetres (mm) – 2.5mm thickness (15-12 wire gauge), mesh 50 mm by 50 mm and height 900 mm

• prevent the trunk rubbing against the metal – you can do this by bending vertical strands of wire mesh to face outwards or by pushing rubber tubing split lengthways on top the wire circle

• ensure the wire mesh is flush with the ground

• ensure the wire mesh covers buttress roots which may need additional lengths of wire to be attached to the lower edge of the coil around the tree

• leave a minimum gap of 0.25m from the trunk

If you have tree guards that were previously funded through Countryside Stewardship, you can reuse the posts to install the tree guards or replace with new posts if needed.

You may need consent from the Environment Agency, lead local flood authority or internal drainage board before starting any work. Read owning a watercourse for more information.

You must not:

• attach wire mesh directly to the tree

• attach guards so they rub against, constrict or damage the tree in any other way

• use lighter gauge material or chicken wire as it may not be effective

• use electric fencing

• block or restrict access to open access land

Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide with your application:

• a photograph of the tree you’re protecting

• a map to confirm the location of the tree you’re protecting

• any permits or consents from the relevant body

You must also keep and provide with your claim:

• a photograph of completed works

• receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is not available

• consents or permissions connected with the work

• information of the tree species and its commercial, amenity or ornamental value

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.

Other items you can use with this item

You can use this item with these items:

BC3: Crop protection fencing mesh and wire for permanent crops

BC5: Expert dam management

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

British standards

Check to make sure the works meet relevant British Standards.

Call Natural England’s enquiry line if you have questions about beaver activity on your land. They’ll direct you to the most appropriate advice.

Phone: 0300 060 3900

Email: enquiries@naturalengland.org.uk [m]: metres [HEFER]: Historic Environment Farm Environment Record *[mm]: millimetres