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Agricultural Censuses run by Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and the devolved administrations collect annual information on the land-use of farms. Table 1.12 below shows the area of woodland on farms.

The area of farm woodland in the UK has increased from 0.7 million hectares in 2009 to 1.0 million hectares in 2018 (Table 1.12).  Slightly over one half (52%) of all farm woodland was in Scotland in 2018, with a further 37% in England, 10% in Wales and the remaining 2% in Northern Ireland.

Table 1.12 Area of farm woodland, 2009-2018

Year England Wales Scotland Northern Ireland UK
thousand hectares     
2009 303.7 60.8 350.8 10.3 725.7
2010 295.3 69.1 399.8 10.2 774.0
2011 304.9 44.2 426.1 10.8 785.9
2012 308.4 62.6 445.4 11.0 827.5
2013 324.9 63.4 466.8 10.3 865.4
2014 331.3 75.7 479.4 11.1 897.5
2015 347.6 78.0 524.0 11.1 960.6
2016 370.5 89.2 502.4 16.1 978.2
2017 368.5 92.8 560.1 15.8 1037.2
2018 371.7 96.8 531.5 16.3 1016.3

Source: June Agricultural Census – Defra, The Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive.

Notes:

1. Changes in the area of farm woodland over time indicate a change in the area of farm land that is reported as woodland and do not necessarily indicate a change in woodland area.

    

Figure 1.5 Area of farm woodland, 1981-2018

Fig 1.5.png

Source: June Agricultural Census – Defra, The Scottish Government, Welsh Government, Northern Ireland Executive.

Notes:
1. Changes in the area of farm woodland over time indicate a change in the area of farm land that is reported as woodland and do not necessarily indicate a change in woodland area.

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Woodland area and planting

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