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Seven thousand hectares of new woodland were created in the UK in 2016-17. In addition, 17 thousand hectares of woodland restocking were reported (Table 1.13). Conifers accounted for over one half (54%) of the new planting area and 78% of the reported restocking area in 2016-17.

Table 1.13 New planting & publicly funded restocking by forest type

Year (ending 31/3) New planting   Restocking Total
thousand hectares         
  Conifers Broad-leaves Total Conifers Broad-leaves Total Conifers Broad-leaves Total
England
2012-13 0.0 2.6 2.6 2.2 1.8 4.0 2.2 4.4 6.6
2013-14 0.0 3.3 3.3 2.6 1.9 4.5 2.6 5.2 7.8
2014-15 0.1 2.3 2.4 2.0 4.4 6.4 2.1 6.7 8.8
2015-16 0.0 0.8 0.8 2.2 1.1 3.3 2.2 2.0 4.1
2016-17 0.1 1.0 1.1 2.0 1.0 3.0 2.1 2.0 4.1
Wales         
2012-13 0.1 0.8 0.9 1.4 0.6 2.0 1.5 1.4 2.9
2013-14 0.1 0.8 0.9 1.4 0.8 2.3 1.6 1.6 3.2
2014-15 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.3 0.6 1.9 1.3 0.7 2.0
2015-16 0.0 0.1 0.1 1.2 0.6 1.8 1.2 0.7 1.9
2016-17 0.2 0.2 0.4 1.1 0.5 1.7 1.3 0.8 2.1
Scotland
2012-13 1.7 5.3 7.0 5.1 0.9 6.0 6.8 6.3 13.1
2013-14 2.0 6.3 8.3 6.5 1.4 7.9 8.5 7.7 16.2
2014-15 2.5 5.1 7.6 6.6 1.9 8.5 9.1 7.0 16.0
2015-16 1.9 2.7 4.6 6.0 1.8 7.8 7.9 4.6 12.5
2016-17 3.2 1.5 4.8 9.1 2.0 11.1 12.3 3.5 15.8
Northern Ireland
2012-13 0.0 0.2 0.3 1.1 0.1 1.2 1.1 0.4 1.4
2013-14 0.0 0.3 0.3 1.0 0.1 1.2 1.1 0.4 1.5
2014-15 0.0 0.2 0.2 0.9 0.1 1.0 1.0 0.3 1.3
2015-16 0.0 0.1 0.1 0.7 0.1 0.8 0.7 0.1 0.9
2016-17 0.1 0.2 0.2 1.1 0.2 1.3 1.2 0.4 1.5
UK
2012-13 1.9 8.9 10.8 9.7 3.4 13.1 11.6 12.3 12.9
2013-14 2.2 10.7 12.9 11.6 4.2 15.8 13.8 14.9 28.7
2014-15 2.6 7.7 10.3 10.8 7.0 17.8 13.4 14.7 18.1
2015-16 1.9 3.7 5.6 10.1 3.6 13.7 12.0 7.3 19.4
2016-17 3.5 3.0 6.5 13.4 3.7 17.1 16.9 6.7 23.6

Source: Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Wales, Forest Service, grant schemes.

Notes:

1. Private sector figures are based on areas for which grants were paid during the year and, for England, includes new planting supported by The Woodland Trust and (to 2014-15) by Natural England and land acquired by the National Forest Company. Figures for grant-aided planting under Rural Development Contracts in Scotland relate to calendar years.

2. No estimates of areas planted without grant aid are included. As a result, the reported figures are likely to under-estimate the true level of planting activity. Restocking figures cover restocking that took place on FC/NRW/FS land, and restocking that took place on private sector land with public funding.

3. The planting season lies both sides of 31 March, and the weather can cause planting to be advanced or delayed.

4. Includes natural colonisation and natural regeneration.

5. Restocking by natural regeneration in non-clearfell areas may be under-represented in the above table.

Data: Longer time series of the above table are available from the Woodland Statistics web page.

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