This item is part of Capital Grants 2025.2024. You must read the Capital Grants 20252024 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
£74.74£132.16 per guard
How 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 on a land parcel if you’re already using the land parcel for:
erect tree guards at least 1.5 metres (m) high with posts placed far enough apart that grazing animals cannot reach within 0.5m of the tree stem
design the tree guard to allow access for formative pruning, applying mulch and clearing vegetation around the base of each tree
You must construct the tree guards in one of 2 ways.
Option 1
The tree guard must have:
at least 3 treated timber corner posts, and top and bottom rails that are 55cm centimetres (cm) in diameter
sheep netting attached between the top and bottom rails
longer posts and an additional strand of wire strung above the sheep netting to increase the height of the guard (if needed)
2 strands of plain or barbed wire wrapped spirally around the guard to prevent animals from rubbing against it
Option 2
The tree guard must have:
at least 2 stakes placed at least 0.5m apart
one stake at least 1.5m high, and the other at least 0.5m high
strong weld mesh wirewire, (atat least 1.5m high)high, wrapped around and securely fastened to the outside of the stakes at least 0.25m from the trunk
either the vertical strands of the wire mesh bent so they face outwards, or a piece of rubber tubing slit lengthways pushed on to the top of the wire circle (to prevent the trunk rubbing against the metal)
2 strands of barbed wire wrapped spirally around the guard to prevent livestock from rubbing against it