PA4: Agroforestry plan

You need to apply for a capital grants plan and get an agreement before you complete your plan.

How much you’ll be paid

£1,268.08 per plan

How this item benefits the environment

This item supports the healthy establishment of an in-field agroforestry system, which supports agricultural output and may improve the farm’s overall resilience to climate change.

Where you can use this item

This item is available as a standalone agreement to aid a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier agreement to create, improve or manage an agroforestry system on agricultural land.

You can also use this item to create, improve or manage an agroforestry system on less sensitive land in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI).

Agroforestry is where tree planting is deliberately combined with agriculture on the same piece of land.

You cannot use this item to plan other systems of tree planting, such as:

• woodlands
• traditional orchards
• wood pasture

You can use other plans such as PA1: Implementation plan, PA2: Feasibility study or, for woodland, PA3: Woodland management plan.

What you must do to use this item

Once you have your agreement, use the agroforestry plan template to:

• create a new agroforestry system
• improve or manage an existing agroforestry system

This will be your agroforestry plan.

The plan should help you consider the:

• sensitivity of the land
• best planting pattern of trees
• number and species of trees most suitable for your land

The plan will also help you identify if you need any consents for your proposed agroforestry system.

Contact your local Forestry Commission operational delivery team hub before you submit your plan for approval. You must agree your plan with the Forestry Commission or Natural England before you submit your claim.

Evidence you must keep

You must keep:

• a copy of your agreed agroforestry plan
• a receipted invoice or bank statement (to be made available if requested) if applicable

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 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
• AF3: Supplement: Species diversity bonus

SFI actions

You can use this item with these maintenance actions:

• 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

*[SFI]: Sustainable Farming Incentive