TE7: Tree guard (wood post and rail)
Find out about eligibility and requirements for the tree guard (wood post and rail) item.
- From:
- Rural Payments Agency and Natural England
- Published
- 2 April 2015
- Last updated
-
5
AugustJanuary20242026 — See all updates
- Grant type:
-
- Capital item
Land- Areas
use:of interest:- Priority habitats, Trees (non-woodland)
,and UplandsTiersorstandaloneitems:
HigherTier,MidTierFunding(perunitperyear):£101to£200This item is part of Capital Grants
2024.2025. You must read the Capital Grants20242025 guidance 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 to understand the rules and how to apply.How much you’ll be paid
£109.64£121.62 per guardHow this item benefits the environment
This item protects trees from damage caused by grazing animals and wild animals.
Where you can use this item
You can only use this item on trees in a land parcel if you’re already using the land parcel for:
[ORH1:CHRW2: Managetraditionalorchards]hedgerows[CHRW2:Managehedgerows][WOD1:Managewoodpastureandparkland]
You can only also use this item when planting
in-fieldtreesagroforestrywithtrees.these capital items:
treeWhere- AF2: Plant an agroforestry fruit tree
- TE1: Planting standard hedgerow tree
- TE2: Planting standard parkland tree
- TE3: Planting fruit trees
- TE4: Supply and plant tree
You cannot use this item with:
HowthisitembenefitstheenvironmentThisitemprotectstreesfromdamagecausedbygrazinganimalsandwildanimals.What you must do to use this item
You must erect tree guards at least
2m2 metres (m) high which have:- 4 treated timber corner posts
5cm5 centimetres (cm) diameter top and middle rails- a bottom rail if grazing animals are likely to get underneath the guard
- posts placed so grazing animals cannot reach within 0.5m of the tree stem
- a single strand of barbed wire along the top rail to prevent animals rubbing against the guard
You must also:
- fasten sheep netting (or 3 strands of taut plain or barbed wire) to the corner posts between the middle and top rails, and between the middle rail and the bottom rail
- use sheep netting instead of barbed wire between the middle rail and the bottom rail if sheep are likely to graze the parcel
- design the tree guard to allow access for formative pruning, applying mulch and clearing vegetation around the base of each tree
You must not:
- fasten guards to the tree
- attach guards so they rub against, constrict or
thedamage the tree in any other way
Evidence you must keep
You must keep photographs of the completed work and provide them with your claim.
You must also keep and provide on request:
- any consents or permissions connected with the work
- receipted invoices, or bank statements where a receipted invoice is unavailable
- photographs of existing trees to be protected
PleaseReadseethe record keeping and site visit requirements in the Agreement holder’s guide: Capital Grants, Higher Tier capitalgrants,grants and Protection and Infrastructure grants for more information.OtherIf
itemsyou’reandapplyingactionsforyoucanusewiththis itemCapitalitemsYouascanpartuseofthisaitemCountrysidewith:TE1:StewardshipPlantingHigherstandardTierhedgerow(CSHT)treeTE2:application,PlantingreadstandardtheparklandrecordtreeTE3:keepingPlantingandfruitsitetrees[AF1:visitPlantrequirementsaninagroforestrythewoodlandCSHTtree][AF2:agreementPlantholder’sanagroforestryfruittree]
guide.Updates to this page
Published 2 April 2015Last updated 5AugustJanuary2024+ show2026 href="#full-history">+ show all updatesExplore the topic
Update history
2026-01-05 14:38
Payment rate updated2024-08-05 10:02
TBC2024-05-09 15:59
Updates made to the ‘Where to use this item’ section.- Grant type: