“We have funding that can help make unproductive parts of the farm more productive,” says Paul Nolan of The Mersey Forest, summing up the moment for farmers weighing up trees on awkward acres. It’s a line that lands for readers across the North-and it’s exactly what Shropshire’s Hilley Farm has done.

Mandy Stoker Jones has turned rough, unprofitable patches at Hilley Farm into trees that work with livestock. The holding has added around four hectares of new woodland, planted in pockets that didn’t pay as arable or grazing, alongside strips of agroforestry. The woodland is registered under the Woodland Carbon Code, setting up long‑term carbon income and a clear management standard.

For cattle, shade and shelter are not a lifestyle choice-they affect weight gain, fertility and lameness. Forest Research and Defra guidance note that tree cover can cut heat stress, improve milk yields and help drier, cleaner ground under hoof-useful in hot summers and wet Pennine winters alike. Hilley Farm reports animal welfare gains since planting, reflecting what research says happens on well‑designed silvopasture.

The finances stack up better than many expect. England Woodland Creation Offer payments now include £400 per hectare per year for 15 years, plus one‑off “Additional Contributions” for public benefits-up to £3,700 per hectare for access and £3,300 for high‑biodiversity designs. A new £1,100 per hectare payment also applies on low‑sensitivity land. These sit on top of capital costs and can be combined where criteria are met.

Registration to the Woodland Carbon Code means verified carbon units over time. Government’s Woodland Carbon Guarantee-now closed to new entrants-offered a floor price at five‑ or ten‑year checks to 2055–56; projects can still sell on the open market. Farmers tell us the carbon route isn’t a quick payday, but it creates a long‑term option that can sit alongside beef or dairy.

Northern voices are already making this pay. “We’ve tried to fill in the gaps,” says Cheshire dairy farmer David Heath, who linked older woods with new blocks and a diverse “dynamic” hedge to draw wildlife through his land. It’s the same joined‑up thinking many holdings from Lancashire to the East Riding are now adopting with support from community forests.

Zoom out and the direction of travel is clear. The Northern Forest partnership aims to plant at least 50 million trees from Liverpool to Hull, while Northumberland’s council marked its millionth tree during National Tree Week and reports thousands of hectares created since 2019. These programmes sit neatly alongside EWCO for private farms.

National numbers tell the same story. UK woodland cover is about 14%-around 10% in England-with 15,580 hectares of new woodland reported in 2024/25. Ministers have a statutory goal to lift England’s tree canopy and woodland cover to 16.5% by 2050, which will only be met if farms, estates and community forests keep planting the right trees in the right places.

There are practical lessons from Hilley Farm for northern holdings. Start with a map of the poorest‑performing acres and wind‑exposed corners. Use small woods and hedgerows to stitch habitats together and give stock summer shade and winter shelter. Plan for protection and watering in dry spells-Defra has even created replanting support after drought losses in recent years-then choose species to match heavy clays or upland edges.

For those wanting to move quickly, Forestry Commission advisors can help design schemes and fast‑track EWCO applications, while community forests offer help with costs and establishment. Hilley Farm shows this isn’t about taking land out of production; it’s about getting more from land that never earned its keep-and leaving something better for the next generation.