Farmers, crofters, and communities in Scotland are set to benefit from an additional £1 million in funding to create and manage small woodlands, with the increased grants designed to help cover the rising costs of materials due to inflation.

Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie announced the funding boost at the Nature Friendly Farming Network summit yesterday, explaining that the extra money will be channelled through the enhanced Forestry Grant Scheme (FGS).

The new package specifically targets small-scale woodland creation projects of up to 20 hectares, which are often undertaken by farming and crofting communities.

Support for these smaller schemes is being raised by an average of 15 per cent across Scotland. In the Central Scotland Green Network area, the increase is even greater, rising by 30 per cent to encourage woodland creation near towns and cities.

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Mr Fairlie said the funding was designed to support these communities to integrate trees into their business plans, noting that many were hit by inflation and saw material and labour costs rise.

Key enhancements to the FGS include:

• An extra £750 per hectare for the first 20 hectares of new woodland across Scotland.

• An increase of up to £1,750 per hectare within the Central Scotland Green Network area.

• Doubled deer and stock fencing grants in the Northern and Western Isles grant option area.

• Up to £10,000 to assist community-led woodland management schemes in their development.

Projects between 20 and 40 hectares will also see an average increase of around 5 per cent, while larger projects over 40 hectares will see no change in rates.

Brendan Callaghan, Director of Operational Delivery at Scottish Forestry, confirmed that almost half of all new woodland applications previously came from the crofting and agricultural community, but this had been tapering off due to inflation. He added that the extra money should act as a "catalyst for more smaller scale planting in the future."