The Farm Woodland Premium Scheme was introduced on 1 April 1992 to replace the Farm Woodland Scheme (FWS). Its objective was to enhance the environment through the planting of farm woodlands, thereby improving the landscape, providing new habitats and increasing biodiversity. It encouraged farmers to convert productive agricultural land to woodland by providing annual incentives to compensate for lost farming income. The payments were for 10 years ( for mainly conifer woodlands) or 15 years ( for mainly broadleaved woodlands).
FWPS Payment Rates (applicable from 1 April 1997)
Arable Land
| Outside Less Favoured Areas | £300 per hectare per annum |
| Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | £230 per hectare per annum |
| Severely Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | £160 per hectare per annum |
Other Improved Land
| Outside Less Favoured Areas | £260 per hectare per annum |
| Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | £200 per hectare per annum |
| Severely Disadvantaged Areas of Less Favoured Areas | £140 per hectare per annum |
Unimproved Land
Less Favoured Areas | £60 per hectare per annum |
The FWPS is part funded by the EU and all FWPS payments are in addition to woodland establishment grants made under the Forestry Commission's Woodland Grant Scheme.
Where FWPS land is used to meet a farmer's set-aside requirements under the Single Payment Scheme (SPS), the FWPS payment rate will be reduced by the equivalent amount to prevent 'double-funding'.
Documentation
FWPS 8 Successor's Application (PDF 72kb)
FWPS Rules and Procedures (PDF 149kb)
