Community Trees Fund to Open Soon

The Tree Council is the UK’s lead charity for trees and works in partnership with communities, organisations and Government to make trees matter to everyone. The Community Trees Fund, which forms part of the Council’s annual Community Action Programme, will open for applications on 4 December 2017 with new guidance notes and application forms.

The programme funds trees of appropriate species, size and numbers. Groups may apply for the costs up to four fruit trees on semi-vigorous, vigorous and very vigorous rootstocks.

The Tree Council reviews its eligibility criteria every year and the criteria for last year (listed below) may be different when the fund re-opens on 4 December:

• Applications must be made on behalf of a community group which must be a charity/not for profit organisation.
• Children under the age of 16 years must be actively involved in the planting process.
• Planting must take place on publicly accessible land, usually in public or charity ownership.
• The community group must be able to raise 25% of planting costs.
• Planting must take place during National Tree Week (or as soon as possible afterwards).
• Hedge plants, willow and retrospective costs will not be funded.

Applications will be accepted from 4 December 2017 to 31 March 2018.