EWCO Case Study: 99% Tree Survival in Suffolk Woodland

The England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) is a flagship grant scheme designed to support and encourage landowners and farmers throughout England to expand woodland cover. Offering up to £10,200 per hectare, with the potential for an additional £12,700 per hectare in stackable payments for delivering public benefits such as biodiversity enhancement, water quality improvements, and recreational spaces, EWCO is reshaping woodland creation.

Tackling climate challenges within woodland

Extremes of weather have become the new normal in the UK, with winters growing wetter and springs and summers increasingly hot and dry. These rapid shifts, especially over the past decade, have put significant stress on native trees, leading to high mortality rates. The key management lever available is water retention during dry periods - a challenge that requires rethinking traditional tree planting strategies.

Gone are the days where we can plant a tree in the ground and expect it to prosper without providing moisture retention assistance during the early years.

A model EWCO project in Suffolk

In the county of Suffolk, we have been working with the Jockey Club Estate, where we designed and applied for their EWCO offer, and are now helping them implement it. This project has become a model for maximising woodland creation potential.

Here, 11 hectares have been planted with a deliberate mixture of broadleaf and conifer species, tailored for optimum habitat diversity.

The species mix - Oak, Hornbeam, Field Maple, Silver Birch, Wild Service Tree, Rowan, Douglas Fir, among others - encourages ecological diversity and improves long-term resilience against pests, diseases and climatic extremes

We can supply trees, shrubs and hedging, as well as tree guards.

Mulch matters!

Achieving successful woodland establishment, especially at scale, is multifaceted. Central to the exceptional results at our Suffolk site has been the use of linear mulch matting. These mats have proven vital for conserving soil moisture, suppressing weed competition, and protecting young trees during crucial early growth stages.

In June 2025, after a spring and summer marked by severe drought and high temperatures, this site celebrated a staggering 99% tree survival rate

For context, average survival rates during favourable years hover around 70%, making this achievement in adverse conditions truly remarkable.

This Hawthorn was planted last December as a 30cm cell grown plant. It is now out of its 1.2m tube! The linear mulching system we used has retained moisture superbly given the hot weather we’ve had, particularly on this light, free draining soil.

Sustainable woodland creation in practice

Large-scale mulching is not without its challenges. Cost management and practicality often threaten to undermine project feasibility, therefore meaning initial research on products is essential.

For this project, extensive research led us to select a PA100 certified organic-rich mulch with almost zero non-organic content, and a certified organic, fully biodegradable membrane. This choice reflects our broader commitment to sustainability, aligning with the estate’s environmental ethos.

The mulching process costs fell just within the grant income, and it is expected that these sites will not need any form of weed suppression for at least 2 years and that the mulch matting will retain moisture for at least 3 years, before it biodegrades into the soil

Field operations also demanded ingenuity. A grant-funded trailer was adapted by our team to enable efficient mulching deployment. To ensure precision during planting, GPS technology was used to upload accurate planting lines, and a narrow-tined implement created shallow rips in the soil, followed by the mulching tractor and trailer.

25km of mulching was laid down in total for the trees to be planted into

This allowed our mechanised mulching setup to follow directly behind, ensuring high standards and efficiency across the site.

A blueprint for future woodland creation

Our Suffolk EWCO site exemplifies how innovation, careful planning, and sustainable practices - underpinned by the support of the EWCO grant - can deliver outstanding results, even in challenging conditions.

At Oakbank Game & Conservation, we are proud to champion strategies that not only create thriving woodland habitats but also pave the way for lasting environmental stewardship. If you are interested in using this mulching system to establish your new woodlands, please get in touch to discuss further.

Tips for smaller plantations

For small plantations or groups of new trees, hand spreading 3-4” of well-rotted wood fibre or similar type chip or compost works very well for a couple of years, and it adds nutrients to

the soil immediately around the growing trees. Biosecurity should be seriously considered when sourcing this material to ensure that the chipped tree / vegetation hasn’t come from a

diseased source. Lastly, when using ‘wet’ mulch such as this, ensure that the material isn’t piled up around the stem of the tree, as this can lead to stem bark rotting.

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Interested in applying for EWCO or enhancing your existing woodland plans?

Our experienced team can help design, apply for, and implement woodland creation projects - from species selection to grant compliance and long-term management.

📞 Call 01480 890686 or email info@oakbankgc.co.uk

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