At Hilley Farm in Shropshire, Mandy Stoker Jones has turned unproductive corners and wet patches into a four‑hectare mix of new woodland and tree‑lined pasture. The woodland is registered under the Woodland Carbon Code, while agroforestry belts thread through grazing fields to improve cattle comfort and open a modest long‑term income stream from verified carbon.

Rather than push crops or stock on marginal ground, the farm planted native trees where soils were too shallow or wet for reliable yields. In the grazed fields, widely spaced trees provide shelter without shutting down forage growth, allowing cattle to choose shade in summer and cover in winter while grass continues to receive light. Forest Research notes these tree‑pasture systems improve animal comfort by buffering heat, frost and wind.

The wildlife benefits start quickly. Forest Research reports more invertebrates and birds where farms introduce trees and hedgerows, with tree lines acting as corridors between existing habitats. For livestock management, the RSPCA stresses that shade and plentiful water are essential during hot spells-trees help meet that basic welfare need in fields that previously offered little protection.

Registering with the Woodland Carbon Code means Hilley Farm’s project will generate Pending Issuance Units after validation and, following measured growth at verification, convert these into Woodland Carbon Units that can be sold. The Code sets a first verification at year five, then at least every ten years thereafter, and introduced version 3.0 of the standard on 1 August 2025.

What might the finances look like for comparable sites? Forestry Commission case studies suggest a small broadleaf‑led scheme of 10 hectares could earn modelled carbon income of roughly £4,600 per hectare over 45 years at the average price seen in a May 2022 auction, while a 100‑hectare mixed scheme models around £4,500 per hectare over 50 years. There is no official carbon price and outcomes vary by species, design and market.

Verification brings some costs. Current guidance puts third‑party verification fees in the range of £1,800 to £3,500 plus VAT per project, with small registry charges when converting Pending Issuance Units into Woodland Carbon Units. Group verification can reduce per‑project costs for smaller schemes.

Beyond any credits, the national context underlines why projects like this matter. Forest Research estimates the UK’s forest carbon stock at about 4.1 billion tonnes of CO2e in 2025, with 762 projects validated to the Woodland Carbon Code by 31 March 2025 covering more than 38,700 hectares. The UK is aiming to plant 30,000 hectares a year and reach 16.5% tree and woodland cover by 2050.

Hilley Farm’s approach shows how trees can work with livestock, not against them. Shelter belts and pockets of woodland lift biodiversity, calm the microclimate for cattle and make better use of ground that struggled to produce. It is practical climate adaptation delivered through everyday farm decisions, backed by a quality‑assured carbon framework.

Thinking of a similar move? Map the least productive ground, speak to the Forestry Commission or a trusted adviser about species and spacing, and register with the Woodland Carbon Code before planting so carbon can be recognised later. Plan for a year‑five verification and consider joining a group scheme to share costs if your site is small.

In the end, Hilley Farm’s four hectares of young woodland-and the agroforestry rows beside them-create cooler fields for cattle today and richer habitat for tomorrow. It is a farm‑scale legacy that neighbours can walk, families can enjoy and future herds will quietly benefit from.