Countryside management grants, advice and services

We can help with your land management project from beginning to end, including:

• site audit and evaluation
• developing a shared vision amongst stakeholders and partners
• management plan production, ranging from simple map based proposals to Green Flag quality plans
• specification of works
• legal compliance and consenting
• resourcing
• procurement up to full tender and tender evaluation
• contract management
• community concern and complaint management
• celebration, incorporating political engagement. 

We deliver social value through public engagement, communication and practical involvement by:

• Encouraging the community to engage with their local greenspaces through supporting Friends of Greenspaces groups.
• Providing training and support to enable voluntary activities in a safe environment.
• Running weekly groups for conservation volunteers who deliver practical conservation and access improvements.
• Providing opportunities for corporate volunteering
• Launching a volunteering scheme to help monitor and maintain Hertfordshire's rights of way. 
• Supporting a large team of trained volunteers to run the Hertfordshire Health Walks scheme - a free, county-wide health improvement initiative.

Contact us to discuss your application before you submit it. Once we've confirmed that your application is eligible we'll send you a grant application form.

Applications and enquiries to:

Grant funding will be allocated to projects that:

• enhance nature in Hertfordshire by 20% by 2050
• help establish at least 1.8 million trees including at least 100km of hedgerows across Hertfordshire by 2030.

Our core biodiversity and wildlife objectives are set out in the Sustainable Hertfordshire strategy and the Tree and Woodland strategy

Examples of what your project might include to qualify for the grant:

• Ecological improvement to enhance biodiversity such as wildflower meadow restoration or the management of trees and woodland.
• Tree planting in areas smaller than one hectare. For larger projects, funding is available through the England Woodland Creation Offer.
• Hedgerow creation or management, including new planting, laying and coppicing projects that fall outside the scope of the current government schemes.
• Water bodies and wetlands such as the creation or restoration of ponds, wetlands or reedbed.

Some of the costs our grants can cover are:

• Tools, equipment and material in support of community activity
• Seeds, shrubs and trees
• Contractors
• The hire and transport of plant or equipment.

Grants will usually be payable at 50% of agreed costs.

We cannot fund projects that:

• require planning conditions to be met
• have statutory duty or other legal/contractual obligations
• are not appropriate to the ecology, landscape and archaeology of the area.

Applications should outline the project, its location, and the outcomes proposed, which should be clearly defined and measurable to enable comparison of grant applications against the objectives of the scheme.

The application should identify costs and other sources of income, which may include voluntary activity valued according to National Lottery Heritage Fund guidelines.

1. Once your grant application form has been submitted, we'll acknowledge and consider your request.
2. You'll receive a written response either confirming or declining the grant offer. 
3. If we agree to offer the grant, you'll be asked to sign an agreement so work may begin.
4. We'll allocate a case officer to your project and advise on the work you'll need to carry out.
5. All finished work will be reviewed by your project's case officer and confirmed as complete before the grant is paid. All funded work must be completed by 31 March in the financial year of award.