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The canopy cover Webmap of the United Kingdom’s towns and cities

This paper summarises the results of Forest Research’s citizen science canopy cover webmap. Tree canopy cover was measured by contributors to the project in 5,749 urban wards in the UK using a random sample, manual image classification tool called i-Tree Canopy. The area-weighted mean canopy cover across urban areas in the UK was found to be […]

Data Downloads

Statistics produced by Forest Research - data downloads

Forestry Statistics and Forestry Facts & Figures

Access to main annual statistics publications, Forestry Statistics and Forestry Facts & Figures - latest versions and earlier releases

Forestry Facts & Figures 2023

This booklet contains a summary of statistics about woodland and forestry and includes sections on woodland area, timber and wood products, imports and exports, economics, employment, woodland visits, international comparisons and the environment. The complete statistics for 2023 are available from Forestry Statistics. This year’s edition of the booklet was published on Thursday 28 September. A PDF […]

Sophie de Becquevort

The carbon balances of two contrasting forest stands growing in the UK

This Research Note summarises recent research on the carbon balances of two forest stands: an upland Sitka spruce plantation in Harwood Forest in the northeast of England, and a lowland deciduous oak plantation in Alice Holt Forest in southeast England.

Plant Health for Plant Nurseries

Plant Health for Plant Nurseries

Owen Lewis

Tom Sim

Macedonian pine (MCP)

Macedonian pine is a five-needled pine native to the Balkan peninsula. Little planted as a forest species but it has demonstrated potential as hardy, healthy specimens in botanic collections across Britain. Limited trials in Britain have indicated its productive potential and its apparent resistance to several of the diseases affecting pines. This could mean an increase in importance with climate change, not least if other pine species are further affected by disease. Macedonian pine is listed as near threatened by the IUCN. Macedonian pine is categorised as a plot-stage species. These are species that have demonstrated some positive silvicultural characteristics at the Specimen-stage and are now subject to further testing and development in a limited number of trial plots.

Leyland cypress (LEC)

Leyland cypress is a hybrid between Cupressus macrocarpa and Cupressus nootkatensis. It is believed to have originated at Leighton Hall, Welshpool, from cones collected in 1888. There are many clones which have been widely used in horticulture and garden settings. The timber is naturally durable and valuable, but its stem form makes utilisation very difficult. For this reason, Leyland cypress has historically had little place in British forestry.  It is being planted on a limited scale for forest diversification and has survived and grown well on a wide range of sites. Future use of this tree could expand if climate warming progresses as predicted, particularly in western Britain and elsewhere with adequate soil moisture. Leyland cypress is categorised as a Secondary tree species. These are species that have demonstrated positive silvicultural characteristics in trial plots but gaps in knowledge constrain wider use. The species are being actively evaluated to increase understanding and inform future deployment.