Funding and support for urban trees and green spaces

Cities, towns and urban areas urgently need more trees to enhance the environment and support healthier, happier communities.

Trees are essential for boosting nature, reducing flooding, cutting pollution, and improving mental well-being. But many towns and cities in Scotland don’t have enough trees and green spaces, even though over 80% of us live in urban areas.

The Urban Forestry Programme is a 10-year, multi-million-pound initiative designed to help fix this issue. Over the next decade, Future Woodland Scotland (FWS) will provide funding for various projects through our Urban Forestry Challenge Fund, which offers multiple rounds of funding to support the 3-30-300 rule.

Future Woodlands Scotland are excited to announce that the Urban Forestry Challenge Fund is now open! Learn more about how to apply.

As part of our wider Urban Forestry Programme, FWS will also collaborate with partners and stakeholders to promote best practices and build capacity in the sector.

Get involved

FWS want to work with organisations and community groups to create solutions for urban areas that need more trees and green spaces. If you’re involved in these communities, they’d love to hear from you.

This is the first year of our Urban Forestry Challenge Fund and we’re excited to offer grants of up to £100,000 for projects that will create and look after trees and woodlands in our urban areas. More funding opportunities will be available in the future.

How to apply for our Urban Forestry Challenge Fund

Online applications for the new Urban Forestry grants opened on 30 September, 2024. Apply now.

If you’d like to prepare the questions in advance, you can download the sample application form as a Word doc. If you have any questions about the Urban Forestry Programme, please contact Des Hackett, FWS Urban Forestry Manager or visit the Contact us page for more information.

Growing Scotland’s green spaces together

As the Programme’s founding partner, bp has committed up to £10 million, as part of its planned Scottish offshore windfarm project, Morven.