The area of woodland in the UK at 31 March 2016 is estimated to be 3.16 million hectares (Table 1.1). Of this total, 1.4 million hectares (45%) is in Scotland, 1.3 million hectares (41%) is in England, 0.3 million hectares (10%) is in Wales and 0.1 million hectares (4%) is in Northern Ireland.

Conifers account for around one half (51%) of the UK woodland area, although this proportion varies from around one quarter (26%) in England to around three quarters (74%) in Scotland.

Source: Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Wales, Forest Service, National Forest Inventory.

Notes:

1. FC: Forestry Commission (England and Scotland), NRW: Natural Resources Wales, FS: Forest Service (Northern Ireland). NRW estimates only relate to woodland formerly owned/managed by FC Wales.

2. Private sector: all other woodland. Includes woodland previously owned/managed by the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency in Wales, other publicly owned woodland (e.g. owned by local authorities) and privately owned woodland.

3. Figures for England, Wales and Scotland are based on data obtained from the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and adjusted for new planting, but at present no adjustment is made for woodland recently converted to another land use. Further information on how the figures have been estimated is available in the Sources chapter.

4. Figures for Northern Ireland are obtained from the Northern Ireland Woodland Register.

5. Broadleaves include coppice and coppice with standards.