TE15: Plant groups of trees in large guards
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-10)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the plant groups of trees in large guards item.

This item is part of Higher Tier Capital Grants 2025. You must read the Higher Tier Capital Grants 2025 guidance (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/higher-tier-capital-grants-2025) to understand the rules and how to apply.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, you must read the CSHT applicant’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht) to understand the rules and how to apply.

How much you’ll be paid

£572.78 per large guard (planting a minimum of 80 trees) - a large guard is a surround to the perimeter of a group of trees.

How this item benefits the environment

Protecting trees from damage caused by grazing animals and wild animals allows the development of scrub, wood pasture and tree patches across the landscape. This helps create better connectivity.

Where you can use this item

You can only use this item with the approval of Natural England alongside a management action to create or manage scrub and open habitat mosaics, or alongside at least one of these actions or options:

SCR1: Create scrub and open habitat mosaics (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/scr1-create-scrub-and-open-habitat-mosaics)

SCR2: Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/scr2-manage-scrub-and-open-habitat-mosaics)

CWD7: Manage scrub and open habitat mosaics (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd7-manage-scrub-and-open-habitat-mosaics)

CWD8: Create scrub and open habitat mosaics (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd8-create-scrub-and-open-habitat-mosaics)

CWD20: Create wood pasture (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd20-create-wood-pasture)

CWD21: Restore wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd21-restore-wood-pasture-and-parkland)

CWD22: Manage wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cwd22-manage-wood-pasture-and-parkland)

WD4: Management of lowland wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/management-of-wood-pasture-and-parkland-wd4)

WD5: Restoration of lowland wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/restoration-of-wood-pasture-and-parkland-wd5)

WD6: Creation of lowland wood pasture (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/creation-of-wood-pasture-wd6)

WD7: Management of successional areas and scrub (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/management-of-successional-areas-and-scrub-wd7)

WD8: Creation of successional areas and scrub (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/creation-of-successional-areas-and-scrub-wd8)

WD10: Management of upland wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/wd10-management-of-upland-wood-pasture-and-parkland)

WD11: Restoration of upland wood pasture and parkland (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/wd11-restoration-of-upland-wood-pasture-and-parkland)

WD12: Creation of upland wood pasture (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/wd12-creation-of-upland-wood-pasture)

You cannot use this item to plant trees in an agroforestry system or to plant an orchard.

What you must do to use this item

You must erect large guards that are 3.6 metres (m) by 3.6m and are at least 1.2m high which have:
- 4 untreated timber corner posts and 4 untreated intermediate posts
- 5 untreated wooden rails which are at least 5 centimetres (cm) in width and 10cm in height placed to allow the trees to establish
You must:
- use robust guards which can withstand damage from livestock
- plant at least 80 trees within the guards
- plant the trees within the guard using pit planting – digging a hole to accommodate the root ball
- select a planting stock that complies with the Forest Reproductive Material Regulations 2002 (where applicable)
- plant stock which is appropriate in size and stock type to the site and prevailing conditions
- plant a maximum of 24 large tree guards per hectare (see ‘advice to help you use this item’ for our recommendations)
Plant native tree species which are appropriate for the soil and climatic conditions. You must plant a mix of trees, of which at least:
- 50 trees are blackthorn or hawthorn planted within the outer edge of the guard
- 20 trees are a native shrub species such as hazel, bird cherry, aspen, crab apple
- 10 trees are one or two native canopy forming species per guard such as oak, birch, rowan or similar
You should discuss and agree requirements that are specific to your site with your Natural England adviser.

Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide with your claim:
- receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- photographs of the completed work
You must also keep any consents or permissions connected with the work and provide them on request.

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 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/agreement-holders-guide-capital-grants-higher-tier-capital-grants-and-protection-and-infrastructure-grants-2025) for more information.

If you’re applying for this item as part of a Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) application, read the record keeping and site visit requirements in the CSHT agreement holder’s guide (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/countryside-stewardship-higher-tier-csht).

Advice to help you use this item

The following advice may help you to use this item, but you do not have to follow it to get paid. It’s not part of this item’s requirements.

How to choose the tree guards

We recommend using a mix of 10 to 15 large guards and 15 to 20 small (weldmesh, post and rail or post and wire) guards per hectare (with a combined maximum total of 30). You may plant up to 24 large guards per hectare, but this is not recommended. The guards should be placed at least 19m apart.

If more guards per hectare are used or this item is used in combination with other areas of tree planting, then Environmental Impact Assessment forestry regulations. (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/613f6bb3d3bf7f05ab78647c/171024-EIA-Scoping-and-ES-Statement-Guidance-v.5.pdf) forestry regulations may apply.