Trees for farms in the East Anglian Claylands

We’re calling on all farmers and landowners to help create a resilient landscape where trees and woods thrive for farming and wildlife.

We can all play a part. Find out how you can get involved.

An overview of the East Anglian Claylands 

Covering much of South Norfolk, Suffolk, and Essex, the landscape of the East Anglian Claylands is known for rolling farmland, winding hedgerows and pockets of ancient woodland. It's a major part of the ‘breadbasket’ of England where farmers grow food for millions of people every year.

Woods and trees play an important role in the farmed landscape as they provide vital habitat for farmland wildlife, such as turtle doves, hazel dormice, bats, and pollinators. They also help to boost soil health and protect crops and livestock from weather extremes.

But farming and wildlife are under threat

The Claylands has lost 50% of its farmland trees over the past 100 years.

The cause? Land use change and intensive farming practices, as well as unsustainable deer populations and the effects of new and existing tree diseases such as Dutch elm disease and chalara ash dieback. As a result of disease, up to two million ash trees alone could be lost from farmland in the coming years.

Meanwhile, farmers are facing many new challenges from climate change and extreme weather events, as well as a loss of wildlife habitat. This is leading to a decline in pollinators and imbalances in delicate ecosystems.

What we're doing

In addition to caring for our 34 woodlands in the Claylands, we’re supporting farmers and landowners to help create a resilient landscape, where trees and woods thrive for farming and wildlife.

This means protecting and restoring the trees we’ve already got, but also creating new ones in the right places.

We’ve achieved a lot already. Together with farmers, landowners, and partner organisations, we’ve planted over 165,000 farmland trees, 100 hectares of new native woodland, and brought 40 hectares of small woodlands on farms into positive management since 2019.

We’re supporting a growing network of agroforestry farms across the Claylands, where farmers are planting trees to increase productivity, sequester carbon, and boost wildlife alongside farming.

How you can get involved

What happens on your farm matters, and you can take action to help restore the landscape.

If you farm or manage land in the Claylands we want to hear from you! Get in touch today for free, no-obligation advice on tree and woodland conservation on your land. You can reach us at easternclaylands@woodlandtrust.org.uk or read about our offers below:

• Woodland management: Free advice and guidance on managing ancient woodland, plus annual farm woodland workshops for owners of young woodland.
• Woodland creation: Free advice on creating new woodlands, including advice on the best funding options for you to get your project up and running.
• Hedges and edges: Funding support for hedgerows that link up with existing habitats (e.g. woodland, ponds, orchards, meadows). Get in touch to check your eligibility.
• Tree packs: Apply for 50 or 100 free, native broadleaf trees every year to replace trees lost to disease. Check your eligibility and apply today.
• Agroforestry: Free advice and up to 100% capital funding for creating silvoarable and silvopasture systems on productive farms.
• Ancient and veteran trees: You can record special trees on the ancient tree inventory. This helps us to build a picture of how many veteran trees there are in the Claylands, and what is needed to protect and secure them for the future. We also provide free advice and guidance on how to look after your special trees.

For more information, or to sign up to our offers, contact us at easternclaylands@woodlandtrust.org.uk