Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many hectares of privately-owned Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites have received public subsidies to restore them into good ecological condition in the last 2 years.

The Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) scheme supports the restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS).

In 2023 there was around 1,100 ha that received subsidies for the restoration of Plantations on Ancient Woodland Sites (PAWS) under the Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier scheme which increased to around 1,900 ha of land in 2024. It is not possible to differentiate between publicly and privately owned land within this figure.

To Note: The payment window for existing CSHT agreements opens on the 01 December and receive annual payments. Applicants with a New CSHT agreement will receive quarterly payments.