Grant or payment · Scotland
Small Woodland Loan Scheme (SWLS)
Loan towards the capital costs of creating a new small woodland, paid before your Forestry Grant Scheme capital claim comes through.
- From
- Scottish Forestry
- How much
- 50% of the value of the capital items in your approved FGS contract, up to £40,000.
- Who can apply
- New Woodland Creation applicants under the Forestry Grant Scheme, for applications of no more than 50 ha.
What you’ll need
- Eligible FGS Woodland Creation application
- Woodland Creation Operational Plan with the SWLS section ticked
How to apply
- Opt in on your Woodland Creation Operational Plan when applying for FGS
- With a loan, all FGS capital items must be claimed in one claim
Page published 23 February 2025. Taking a loan limits you to a single capital claim, which may not suit 20-50 ha schemes.
Similar schemes
- Forestry Grant Scheme: Agroforestry Open all yearScottish ForestryGrant to plant trees in grazed pasture or arable fields (silvopasture or silvoarable) for shelter, timber, fruit or nuts and wildlife.
- Forestry Grant Scheme: Woodland Creation Open all yearScottish ForestryGrants to plant new woodland, including small or farm woodland, with an initial planting payment, five years of establishment payments and capital items such as fencing.
- Forestry Grant Scheme: woodland improvement, management and other options Open all yearScottish ForestryGrants for existing woodland and the forestry sector: woodland improvement, sustainable management of forests, tree health, harvesting and processing, forest infrastructure and forestry co-operation.
- MOREwoods Open all yearWoodland TrustSite visit, woodland design, trees and protection, and funding for new woodland of at least half a hectare.
- Forestry and Land Scotland new entrant farming opportunities (FONE) Check it’s runningForestry and Land ScotlandFarm and grazing lets on Scotland's national forests and land for new entrants, coordinated with the Farming Opportunities for New Entrants (FONE) group.
Checked against the official pages on 29 October 2026. Sources: 1. Always read the official page before you apply.