Through the 2024/2025 planting season, a total of 73 small scale native tree planting projects have been supported across the region through the Dumfries & Galloway Tree Planting Grant Scheme. Recipients varied from farmers and landowners through to schools and community groups, with Hazel, Oak & Birch amongst the most popular species planted.
The Dumfries & Galloway Tree Planting Grant Scheme (DGTPGS) offers grants of up to £1,000 towards native trees and protection to get them established, and operates across the entirety of the region. It is administered by Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands initiative and is only possible thanks to funding support over the last year from Woodland Trust Scotland, Scottish Forestry and Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Nature Restoration Fund.
Headline stats from the 2024/25 planting season include:
- 73 Awards made across Dumfries & Galloway
- Approx 9,000 trees planted
- The most planted species was Hazel – with Birch and Oak also prominent
- Trees-on-farms, orchards and riparian (river-edge) planting projects prove particularly popular
- A range of community groups and schools supported with a grant and staff-led planting sessions.
The scheme is administered by Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, a not-for-rpfit organisation getting involved in a range of projects. Phil Dowling from Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands leads on scheme delivery and said:
“This season we saw some truly innovative and inspiring projects across D&G, it’s amazing what you can do with £1,000! We had schools transforming playing field margins, farmers planting parkland trees and communities creating orchards. I really enjoy seeing how so many unassuming sites can be changed for the better, for the long-term, by just adding some trees.
Activity this year was only possible thanks to scheme funders, particularly Woodland Trust Scotland, Scottish Forestry and funding from previous rounds of the Nature Restoration Fund. We are working with potential partners now in the hope of re-launching the scheme shortly for the next planting season.”
Neil Murray, Scottish Forestry’s Conservator for South Scotland, added:
“This is great news and so rewarding to see the D&G Tree Planting Grant Scheme supporting a great variety of projects in so many different locations. All these projects make a contribution towards tackling climate change, restoring nature, and simply improving the places that we live and work in.
“Scottish Forestry supports a vast range of woodland projects, both big and small. We are very supportive of this work and I’m particularly pleased to see so many volunteers, both young and old, get involved and planting trees – it is such a positive thing to do. Well done everyone involved.”
The DGTPGS is designed to support small-scale (<0.25Ha), primarily native planting schemes. Work is underway now to secure funding for next year’s scheme. If successful, this will be launched in Summer 2025 to provide similar support through next planting season. Any queries welcomed to phil.dowling@dgwoodlands.org.
Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands benefits from ongoing support from a range of partners, including Woodland Trust Scotland, Scottish Forestry and Dumfries & Galloway Council’s Environment Team. Work by Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands is being boosted thanks to a major grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, aiming to deliver a tangible response to the twin crises we face and to maximise the benefits delivered in the region.
For more information about Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands, follow them on social media, visit the website www.dgwoodlands.org.uk or sign up for the newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/iAlL6k. Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands is registered in Scotland as a SCIO, number 052525.
Dumfries & Galloway Woodlands is a membership organisation. If you’d like to join as a member, visit the website. For any further info, please contact mcnabb.laurie@dgwoodlands.org.
