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Inventory reports containing quantitative estimates of a quoted accuracy describe Britain’s ‘current’ woodland extent, structure, composition, condition, biodiversity and social use.  These are calculated by combining the measurements collected during field survey with the area and general woodland composition data derived from the NFI woodland map.

The woodland map is one of the core outputs of the NFI and represents the extent and location of all woodland over 0.5 ha in size and at least 20 m width. The map is used as the basis of statistics published by the NFI programme and in Forestry Statistics.

Woodland Ecological Condition

British woodlands are dynamic entities and their ecological condition changes in response to factors such as changing woodland management, general land use practices and climate change.  Evidence of the current state of woodland ecological condition is provided by a statistical assessment of 15 indicators of woodland ecological condition and a further classification of woodland habitat into its condition status of favourable, intermediate and unfavourable condition.

NFI Woodland Ecological Condition

Continue on this page for information on:

  • Squirrel stripping damage and presence of squirrels in woodland in Britain
  • Woodland ownership in Great Britain
  • Preliminary maps showing the proportion of spruce in the upper canopy of NFI sample plots
  • Tree cover outside woodland in Great Britain
  • NFI preliminary estimates of the presence and extent of rhododendron in British woodlands
  • Preliminary estimates of the changes in canopy cover in British woodlands between 2006 and 2015
  • Preliminary estimates of broadleaved species in British woodlands, 2011
  • Standing timber volume for coniferous trees, 2011
  • Estimate of biomass in live woodland trees in Britain, 2011
  • Estimate of carbon in live woodland trees in Britain, 2011
  • Woodland map 2011
  • Woodland map 2010

Squirrel stripping damage and presence of squirrels in woodland in Britain

An NFI report which provides estimates of the presence of squirrels, as evidenced by either bark stripping damage of trees found above 1.8m in height, or other evidence within the forests and woodlands in Britain.

Workbooks of the statistical tables and figures appearing in the report and also supplementary tables are provided.

Woodland Ownership in Great Britain

An NFI statistical report which analyses a survey of woodland owners in Great Britain from 2012 to 2015. Estimates are provided for different ownership types and property types of woodland across Great Britain, England, Scotland and Wales.

A workbook of the statistical tables and figures is also provided.

Preliminary maps showing the proportion of spruce in the upper canopy of NFI sample plots

Preliminary maps showing the proportion of Sitka spruce, Norway spruce and any spruce in the upper canopy of the NFI sample plots.

Tree cover outside woodland in Great Britain

Summary report and statistical report on the area of land under tree cover in small woods, groups of trees and lone trees outside National Forest Inventory (NFI) woodland. Also includes the numbers, and mean areas of these tree cover features, plus estimates of lengths and areas of hedgerows. Statistics are for England, Scotland, Wales, GB, individual NFI regions, and separately for urban and rural areas

A workbook of the statistical tables and figures is also provided.

Annex regional maps (A3) of National Forest Inventory woodland and tree cover outside woodland are provided for each NFI region.

Wall maps (A1) of National Forest Inventory woodland and tree cover outside woodland are provided for all of England and Wales; and for Scotland.

On the annex regional maps and national wall maps tree cover outside woodland is derived from the National Tree MapTM (in England and Wales) and Native Woodland Survey of Scotland (in Scotland).

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NFI preliminary estimates of the presence and extent of rhododendron in British woodlands

A summary report with estimates of the areas of rhododendron in British woodland based on results from the NFI field survey, and maps of the site locations where it was found.

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Preliminary estimates of the changes in canopy cover in British woodlands between 2006 and 2015

This is a preliminary report on the changes in canopy cover of British woodlands between 2006 and 2015 as assessed mainly from interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery, but supplemented with information from other sources, including the NFI field survey. As part of the analysis of canopy cover change, the report provides estimates of areas of clearfell, restocking, woodland loss and woodland gain.

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Research on efficiently producing new versions of the clearfell estimates

This report explores whether rapid estimates of the amount of clearfell in Scotland can be generated through sampling of remote sensing data captured between June 2016 and June 2017.

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Preliminary estimates of broadleaved species in British woodlands, 2011

A summary NFI report of the 2011 preliminary estimates of quantities of broadleaved species in British woodlands over 0.5 hectares in size, with special focus on ash. This includes estimates of stocked area, standing volume and numbers of trees. Later estimates are available in the 50-year hardwood forecast published 2014.

For information on the amount and distribution of ash trees outside NFI woodland see the Countryside Survey Report (Distribution of ash trees (Fraxinus excelsior) in Countryside Survey data) at http://www.countrysidesurvey.org.uk . This report includes small copses of less than 0.5 hectares, linear features containing trees less than 5 metres in width (including hedgerows and lines of trees) and individual trees (including some veterans). The extent of the top ten broadleaved tree species, including ash, in copses less than 0.5 ha is included in the Countryside Survey report.

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Standing timber volume for coniferous trees, 2011

A summary NFI report of the 2011 standing volume for coniferous trees for Great Britain. This includes stocked area. Later estimates are available in the 50-year softwood forecast published 2014.

Supplementary spreadsheet giving estimates of the number of conifer trees in woodlands in Great Britain. Please refer to the NFI report on the Preliminary estimates of broadleaved species in British woodlands for interpretation of these estimates.

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Estimate of biomass in live woodland trees in Britain, 2011

A summary NFI report of the 2011 biomass in live trees in British woodlands.

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Estimate of carbon in live woodland trees in Britain, 2011

A summary NFI report of the 2011 carbon in live trees in British woodlands.

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Woodland map report 2011

A set of reports summarising the results of the 2011 NFI woodland map update.

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Woodland map report 2010

Woodland area reports

These publications contain initial provisional statistics for woodland area as at 31 March 2010, and areas of new planting and woodland loss for 1997-98 to 2009-10. The woodland area statistics in this release make use of the 2010 NFI map and woodland grant maps for 1989-90 to 2009-10.

Woodland maps

These documents show the 2010 NFI woodland map, overlaid against a colour Ordnance Survey backdrop.

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Last updated: 8th February 2019

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