In its first year, the Spruce Site Assessment grant supported 41 landowners in surveying more than 2,450 hectares of spruce woodland to address the threat of Ips typographus, also known as the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, the Forestry Commission said in a report dated 20 October 2026. The scheme, which offers £2,000 per assessment, launched in October 2025 and covers condition scoring and location mapping.

According to the commission, high-risk spruce material was identified in every agreement, and the surveys collectively found an estimated 26,000 tonnes of spruce that could be removed. Landowners planned to remove 60% of surveyed spruce within 12 months of the survey date. Sites ranged from 0.5 hectares to woodlands exceeding 400 hectares. The commission said 17 sites that completed an assessment went on to access funding for proactive felling through the tree health pilot.

The grant remains open for applications, with the commission stating a limited number of spaces are available. Funding rates through the tree health pilot vary by location and whether an assessment has been completed.