Grant/Subsidies available for Equipment in Wales

[BackoftheWoods]

Hello all,

 

Looking for any info regarding any grants etc. which are available for small forestry businesses in Wales. I am looking to purchase some essential kit for timber extraction.

 

I'm waiting to here from my local Business Wales advisor in Bangor but would be keen on other peoples experience/ funding pools which might be overlooked by my local office.

 

Thanks!

[Cae Ffynnon]

I get the impression WAG are in a flap over forestry at the moment. With the mass clear felling of Larch occuring in big parts of the country. Some money for replanting through Glastir. Not sure that any money is available for help with extraction.

 

I'm in the mountains above Caernarfon and often think that more could be done with the local woods.

 

 

Chris

[BackoftheWoods]

Thanks Chris,

 

Yes unfortunately it seems England has benefited a lot more in terms of grant aid this year so far unfortunately!

 

I completely agree re: local woods, I'm starting to make waves here on Anglesey which is great, just need a bit of a boost equipment wise!

 

Cheers

[Cae Ffynnon]

Where abouts on the island are you, I can see most of it from where I'm typing this at home.

 

We're not helped by being in North west Wales either, we may as well be on the Dark Side of the Moon as far as Cardiff is concerned.

 

Chris

[kevinjohnsonmbe]

Thanks Chris,

 

Yes unfortunately it seems England has benefited a lot more in terms of grant aid this year so far unfortunately!

 

I completely agree re: local woods, I'm starting to make waves here on Anglesey which is great, just need a bit of a boost equipment wise!

 

Cheers

 

Not sure how the split has been divvied up within the UK in terms of "fairness" for each home nation, and whilst this won't be much help in your quest for funding in Wales, but following a visit to ConFor show, I am fully disenchanted with the whole grant funding process. It appears to me that the administrative mechanisms and processes for verification of grant applications is established in such a way as to ensure maximum expenditure of public money on maintaining administrative tiers of bureaucracy rather than getting the money out to the end user.

 

Here's an example - Register an interest via FC "FACE" scheme

 

Sylva Foundation • news

 

FC then select the most 'credible' applications and pass them over to the regional 'advisory agent' who charges around £500/day for 2 days 'mentoring' to the applicant which should increase the chances of their application being approved.

 

I'd like to know how much money is spent on admin and bureaucracy and what % that is of the total money made available for grant funding.