The latest National Statistics on Woodland Area, Planting and Restocking produced by the Forestry Commission were released today in accordance with the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
The release contains provisional statistics for the year to 31 March 2014 on UK woodland area, certified woodland area, and areas of new planting and restocking.
The main findings are that:
• The area of woodland in the UK at 31 March 2014 was 3.14 million hectares. This represents 13 per cent of the total land area in the UK: 10 per cent in England, 15 per cent in Wales, 18 per cent in Scotland, and 8 per cent in Northern Ireland;
• Of the total UK woodland area, 0.87 million hectares was owned or managed by the Forestry Commission (in England and Scotland), Natural Resources Wales or the Forest Service (in Northern Ireland);
• The total independently certified woodland area in the UK at 31 March 2014 was 1.38 million hectares, including all Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Wales and Forest Service woodland. Overall, 44 per cent of the UK’s woodland area is independently certified;
• 13,000 hectares of new woodland were created in the UK in 2013-14, mostly with broadleaved species; and
• 16,000 hectares of woodland were restocked in the UK in 2013-14, mostly with conifers.
The full statistics release can be found in the Statistics pages of the Forestry Commission website (www.forestry.gov.uk/statistics).
Further information is available from Jackie Watson at statistics@forestry.gsi.gov.uk; tel: 0300 067 5238.
