Benefits to planting trees and creating woodland
Planting trees can have benefits for your land or the local community and for wildlife and the environment.
You don’t need to own a farm or lots of land to plant trees. A single tree or group of trees can make a positive difference to your workplace, home, school or community.
How woodland can benefit your farm and business
Planting trees can provide benefits to your farm and land that include:
- providing soundproofing
- creating privacy
- creating shelter for livestock and buildings
- improving livestock production
- reducing the impact of wind
- managing flood risk
- reducing your carbon footprint
- providing timber products like fencing, gates and fuel
- reducing soil erosion
- reducing waterlogging
If your farm is also your business, creating a woodland can also provide new opportunities through:
- the sale of timber, wood products or firewood
- game shooting
- on-farm tourism
The Woodland Carbon Code
The Woodland Carbon Code is a voluntary standard for woodland creation projects.
Woodland carbon units can only be generated by planting new woodland and registering your project before any work starts.
The Welsh Government recommends farmers, landowners and managers in Wales who wish to generate and sell woodland carbon units should use the Woodland Carbon Code.
If you can show that you meet this standard, you can sell the carbon contained in your woodland in the form of Woodland Carbon Units.
How woodland can benefit your local community
Woodlands can help improve health and wellbeing. They provide settings for play, education and learning, outdoor pursuits and community activities. Community woodland projects are a great opportunity for people and businesses to come together and create a woodland in their area.
How woodland can benefit wildlife
Woodlands provide a rich habitat for plants and animals, including pollinators, and rare species.
How woodland can benefit the environment
The Welsh Government’s ambition is to plant 43,000 hectares of new woodland by 2030 and 180,000 hectares by 2050 to help Wales meet its carbon emission reduction targets. That is equivalent to planting at least 5,000 hectares per year.
Woodlands improve the quality of the environment because they:
- help protect the quality of drinking water supplies
- help manage flood events
- capture harmful pollutants and improve air quality
- provide shade, shelter and absorb sound
- stabilise soils, reducing erosion and landslides
Start planting trees and creating woodland
We can help you to start planting trees and creating your own woodland. The Welsh Government and The Woodland Trust can also provide grants and further help.