Scottish Forestry Grant Scheme - SFGS

Following publication of the Scottish Executive’s Scottish Forestry Strategy 'Forests for Scotland' the opportunity was taken to review the Woodland Grant Scheme and the Farm Woodland Premium Scheme and give them a greater Scottish focus.

The resulting scheme - the Scottish Forestry Grants Scheme (SFGS) - encouraged the creation and management of woods and forests to provide economic, environmental and social benefits.

Grants were available under three main areas:

- Grants for woodland expansion - creating new woodlands.

- Restocking grants, for replanting following felling.

- Stewardship grants, for a range of activities in existing woodlands.

Applications for SFGS grants started in June 2003 and closed in August 2006.

Most grants for SFGS were based on a percentage of Standard Costs of agreed operations. The Standard Cost took account of the costs of labour, plants, machinery, materials and supervision to do work to the specification as set out in the SFGS Standard Costs and Specifications Booklet.

Depending upon the level of public benefit, grant payments were either at 60% or 90% of the Standard Cost. In the case of restocking, Standard Costs were mostly pitched at 75% of the new planting Standard Costs.

Grants were available for planting proposals that met one or more of the following objectives:

- Establishing well-designed productive woodland.

- Expanding areas of native woodland, preferably through natural

regeneration and the development of Forest Habitat Networks.

- Improving riparian habitat.

- Improving the quality and setting of urban or post-industrial areas.

- Improving the diversity of the farmed and crofting landscape.

Details of all eligible operations are set out within the 'Applicants Booklet' available from Conservancy Offices.

************************SFGS OBJECTIVES****************************

The abbreviations below list the SFGS objectives proposals are designed to meet:

Establishment grants

P1 to establish well-designed productive forest

P2 to expand the area of native woodland

P3 to improve a riparian habitat

P4 to improve the quality and setting of urban or post-industrial areas

P5 to improve the diversity of the farmed/crofting landscape

Stewardship Grants

S1 to improve timber quality

S2 to reduce deer numbers

S3 to improve the ecological value of native woodlands

S4 to improve woodland biodiversity

S5 to enhance landscape value

S6 to develop alternative systems to clear-felling

S7 to develop woodland recreation

S8 to develop community involvement

Restocking grants

R1 to produce well designed productive forest

R2 to restore areas of native woodland

R3 to improve riparian habitat

R4 to improve the quality and setting of urban or post-industrial areas

R5 to improve the diversity of the farmed/crofting landscape

Felling

F1 Clear felling

F2 Selective felling

F3 Continuous Cover

F4 Thinning

Other land

OL is not grant aided

************************** SPATIAL DATA **********************************

There are four spatial datasets associated with SFGS. These represent the scheme boundaries, management plan boundaries, sub-compartment boundaries and deer fence lines within each approved SFGS scheme.

Each SFGS spatial dataset is accompanied by a specific non-spatial database table. The datasets can be related to each other on a 'many to one' basis. This reflects the fact that many SFGS operations may occur within one spatial geography (eg.a sub-compartment).

The 'SFGS Sub-Compartments' spatial dataset can be 'related' to the 'SFGS Link Sub-Compartment Operations' table using the 'SC_Link' attribute field.

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SFGS Sub-Compartments - Spatial Attributes :-

Attributes:

SchemeNo SFGS Scheme number

Compt_No Compartment number

Sub_Compt Sub compartment letter

SC_Link Concatenated field used to relate spatial data to table

Descriptor Description of spatial feature

SchemeName Name of SFGS Scheme

Cons_Name Conservancy

Cont_Start Date contract started

Grid_Ref National grid reference

Local_Auth Local Authority

Status Scheme status

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SFGS Link Sub-Compartment Operations - Database Table Attributes :-

Atributes:

SC_Link Concatenated field used to relate table to spatial data

Scheme_Type Type of scheme (SFGS, Forest Plan, etc)

Grant_Type Grant type code

Descriptor Description of grant type

Claim_No Claim number

Inst_No Instalment number for planting

Quantity Length, number or area of operation

Unit Unit of operation (eg. metres, visits, hectares)

Pct_Cost Percentage of total cost paid under SFGS

Pay_Rate Payment rate per unit (£)

Grant _Paid Amount of grant paid (£)

Pay_In_FY Financial year in which payment should be made

Species Tree species

PYear Planting year

Area_ha Area in hectares

Stock_Dens Stocking density of planting

Obj_Code SFGS Objective code (see above for full descriptions)

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