England Woodland Creation Offer application form and grant manual
Use the grant manual and forms to apply for funding to create woodland under the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO).
Applies to England
Documents
Details
The EWCO pages on GOV.UK will be refreshed on Thursday 23 October. This aims to improve the clarity of the information.
There are no significant changes to the current eligibility, rules or processes. Minor changes will be highlighted on the page’s update section once published.
Check back after this date to view the refreshed pages.
Check that you have completed the necessary steps on our England Woodland Creation Offer guidance page before applying.
Read the EWCO grant manual and any relevant appendices to understand the requirements of the grant. These contain essential information about the EWCO agreement, how it works and how to apply.
What information do I need to apply?
1. Application forms
You must complete the following forms:
- EWCO application form
- EWCO declaration form
- EWCO declaration form: countersign sheet (if additional parties need to counter sign the application)
Your application should include information about the land you’re planning to plant (location, area, soil type), the species you’re planning to plant, capital items and any additional contributions you would like to apply for.
You also need to confirm you have spoken to nurseries to ensure planting stock you need will be available.
2. Optional forms
Other optional forms to submit, where applicable:
- EWCO natural colonisation initial site assessment form: one form for each individual area you intend to use natural colonisation as a method of woodland creation
- EWCO common land and shared grazing supplementary form: if the land in your application is common land or an area of shared grazing
- EWCO public access non-spatial eligibility form: for proposing eligibility for the public access additional contribution where your scheme is outside of the ‘NfC Social’ GIS spatial targeting layer
- EWCO Biosecure Procurement Requirement exception form: if you’re not purchasing your trees from a commercial supplier, apply for an exception to the Biosecure Procurement Requirement
3. Maps
You need to submit a map showing the location of the proposed woodland and the capital items that will be undertaken.
You can use your own map as long as it meets the standards in the grant manual, or you can use a base map requested through the Forestry Commission’s Map Request Service. If you use this service, we will supply a blank base map for you to mark up by hand to show your proposal.
Our EWCO example map will help you prepare a map that meets our minimum mapping standards.
Where to send your completed forms
Email your completed forms to: EWCO@forestrycommission.gov.uk
Hard copies should be sent to:
England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO)
Forestry Commission National Office
620 Bristol Business Park
Coldharbour Lane
Bristol
BS16 1EJ
How long does an application take?
We aim to acknowledge your application, and let you know if there is information missing within 3 working days. It may take longer during peak periods.
Funding decisions can take 12 to 20 weeks from receiving a valid application. This period includes a 21 day period where new planting proposals must be published on our public register of woodland creation and tree felling.
Timescales are likely to be shorter if you have completed an approved Woodland Creation Design Plan through the Woodland Creation Planning Grant.
Where woodland creation proposals meet the eligibility criteria for the Woodland Creation Fast Track, we aim to make regulatory decisions and grant offers in 12 weeks.
Tips and advice for completing the EWCO application form
You only need to complete the Woodland Creation Plan sections (WCP 1 - WCP 5) if you do not already have an approved plan through the Woodland Creation Planning Grant.
There are instructions for completing sections in the form at the top of each worksheet. Read the instructions before scrolling down to complete the required fields in each worksheet.
If you’re using MS Excel, all mandatory fields are highlighted until completed. This functionality may not be available in other software.
Some fields are locked for editing, you do not need to complete these.
Several questions require an answer from a dropdown list. These are indicated in the question or column heading.
Some fields need a particular format for the data. An ‘error message’ will appear if your entry does not match the required format.
Forms for existing grant holders
Claim forms
If you already have an agreement and need to make a claim, use the England Woodland Creation Offer claim form.
Amendment forms
If you have an agreement that you would like to amend, use the England Woodland Creation Offer amendment form.
Contact us
Contact the EWCO team for more information EWCO@forestrycommission.gov.uk.
If you have applied, you will receive an email from the address forestry@ukemail.icasework.com. Please check your junk folder and accept emails from this address, and reply directly.
Updates to this page
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Added a new version of the EWCO grant funding agreement (terms and conditions).
Update history
2025-10-16 16:00
Added paragraph in Details section on plans to refresh EWCO GOV.UK pages on Thursday 23 October. This aims to improve the clarity of the information. There are no significant changes to the current eligibility, rules or processes.
2025-06-05 13:00
Added a new version of the EWCO grant funding agreement (terms and conditions).
2025-05-22 12:05
Original EWCO application re-added to page. The previous update was an admin error.
2025-05-22 10:31
Added a new application form after a small fix to Stage 1 Forestry Commission internal checks drop-down and summary page ‘flagged checks’.
2025-05-15 14:22
Added a new version of the application form after a bug was fixed.
2025-05-07 12:01
The EWCO grant manual, appendices and terms and conditions have been updated to ensure they align with regulatory and processing changes. An updated application form was also added.
2025-03-27 13:45
Added updated grant manual and appendices. Section 1.1 of the grant manual was updated.