SB1: Scrub control and felling diseased trees
Source: gov.uk (2025-09-15)

Find out about eligibility and requirements for the scrub control and felling diseased trees 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

You’ll need to use the following codes when applying for different specifications for this capital item.

How this item benefits the environment

This item:
- restores or maintains priority habitats
- protects historic or archaeological features
- prevents disease spreading from infected sites to the wider environment
Where you can use this item

You can use this item:
- as part of a Woodland Tree Health grant (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/woodland-tree-health-grants-2025)
- to control or manage scrub with the agreement of Natural England or the Forestry Commission
- to remove immature trees that could spread disease, and you cannot fell them economically (with the agreement of the Forestry Commission)
You can also use this item on the same area as TE12: Stump grinding (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/stump-grinding-te12), CWD2: Woodland improvement and WD2: Woodland improvement. (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/woodland-improvement-wd2)

What you must do to use this item

You must agree with your adviser:
- when to carry out the work
- whether to cut by hand or machine
- what to do with stumps
- how to dispose of cut material
- how to control regrowth and harmful weeds
- how to fell all diseased trees within an agreed area
- how to remove non-symptomatic trees to reduce the risk of disease
- what biosecurity measures to use to avoid transferring disease to other sites
You must get any relevant consents before you carry out any work either:
- a felling licence from the Forestry Commission
- consent from Natural England to use the item on a site of special scientific interest (SSSI)
- consent from Historic England to use the item on a scheduled monument
Evidence you must keep

You must keep and provide with your claim:
- photographs of the completed work
- a felling licence from the Forestry Commission (if required)
- consent from Natural England to use the item on a SSSI
- consent from Historic England to use the item on a scheduled monument
You must also keep and provide on request:
- any consents or permissions connected with the work (in addition to the ones listed above)
- consent from Natural England to use the item on a SSSI
- consent from Historic England to use the item on a scheduled monument
- receipted invoices or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- records of when the scrub control was carried out
- a record of any pesticide or herbicide treatments (including dates and locations)
- a woodland management plan indicating the need for scrub control if the scrub control takes place in woodland – this does not apply to diseased trees
- an implementation plan or feasibility study setting out the need for scrub control (if applicable)
- photographs of the trees or scrub (before works start)
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.

Definitions of scrub, diseased trees and immature trees

Scrub means any woody shrubs including European gorse, bramble and young trees. It does not include dwarf or western gorse, so you cannot use this item to control those species.

To be eligible under this grant, diseased trees are defined as:
- immature Larch infected with Phytophthora ramorum subject to a Statutory Plant Health Notice (SPHN)
- immature Douglas Fir or Western Hemlock infected with Phytophthora pluvialis subject to a Statutory Plant Health Notice
An immature tree is one that’s up to 25 years old.

Using this item

You can use this item:
- if scrub is encroaching on to species-rich grassland
- around archaeological sites or historic features
- if species that depend on managed scrub are present (for example, turtle dove and brown hairstreak)
- within woodland to create permanent or temporary open areas
With this item, you can cut scrub or trees manually or with a machine.

You can carry out:
- manual removal on foot, with a clearing saw or chainsaw
- machine cutting from a cab and by a tractor fitted with a flail
Removing scrub

To remove scrub, you should:
- cut scrub to ground level
- use TE12: Stump grinding (https://www.gov.uk/countryside-stewardship-grants/stump-grinding-te12) where needed
- leave roots undisturbed
- not leave protruding stems
Keep the site free of scrub for the rest of the agreement.

What to do with diseased trees

If you have a Statutory Plant Health Notice for diseased trees, you must follow the guidance that comes with the notice for this. If there is not a Statutory Plant Health Notice, fell all infected trees in the contract area and follow the Forestry Commissions’ biosecurity guidance. (https://www.forestryengland.uk/sites/default/files/pdf/Biosecurity%20Policy.pdf)