Pictured: British Hardwood Tree Nursery managing director Andrew Henderson

Lincolnshire-based specialist tree suppliers said the "unseasonal" burst of good weather, combined with planning for the Queen's Diamond Jubilee in 2012, are promising to produce a surge in demand for stock. 

The British Hardwood Tree Nursery (BhT) - which supplies trees, hedging and related essentials  to  public sector clients, farmers and other landowners - is predicting strong interest in the Forestry Commission's announcement of a £1 million pot of grant money for projects in Lincolnshire, to tackle woodland shortage. 

BhT managing director Andrew Henderson, who has revamped the firm's website (www.britishhardwood.co.uk)  believes the Woodland Creation Grants Scheme, as well as the Woodland Trust's Jubilee Woods project and that organisation's aspirations of selecting landowners to plant up to 60 Diamond woods, will help to drive-up sales at the Snitterby-based business. 

"I'm already busier than I would traditionally be at this time of year, and well-prepared to receive early inquiries from landowners. I am also advising farmers and other potential customers to get their orders in early," said Mr Henderson.

"Farmers have had a good harvest and fine weather for drilling. In many cases they are ahead of the game, which means they have time to think about the Woodland Creation Grants Scheme and what their requirements will be, before the tree-planting season gets underway in earnest in mid-November. 

"Normally, applications for assistance from this scheme have to be submitted to the Forestry Commission by the end of September, but  that deadline has also been scrapped," added Mr Henderson.

As part of the Forestry Commission's £1m pot for tree-planting schemes in the county, higher grants are also available for "hotspots" for endangered woodland birds. 

Designated areas include the Lincolnshire Wolds and Bardney Limewoods and payments to create new woods can be increased by an extra £2,000 per hectare.

Other supplements available to compensate farmers for planting trees, coupled with other payments, could mean some grants could be worth up to £8,300 per acre.