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Table 1.9 presents the area of broadleaves, broken down by principal species, ownership and country.

The most commonly occurring broadleaved species in Great Britain are birch (accounting for 18% of broadleaf woodland), oak (16%) and ash (12%) (Table 1.9). Birch is more dominant in Scotland, accounting for 43% of the broadleaf area there.

Table 1.9 Stocked woodland area in GB by ownership and principal species: Broadleaves

Principal species England Wales Scotland GB
thousand hectares    
FE/FLS/NRW1        
Oak 16 3 3 21
Beech 13 2 1 15
Sycamore 1 0 0 2
Ash 3 1 0 4
Birch 6 2 11 19
Sweet chestnut 1 0 0 1
Hazel 0 0 0 1
Hawthorn 0 0 0 0
Alder 1 0 1 1
Willow 0 0 0 0
Other broadleaves 14 9 15 38
All broadleaves 54 16 32 102
Private sector2        
Oak 151 23 23 198
Beech 59 5 15 78
Sycamore 74 9 21 105
Ash 120 18 15 153
Birch 90 11 116 217
Sweet chestnut 28 0 0 28
Hazel 64 14 8 86
Hawthorn 57 8 8 73
Alder 30 10 16 56
Willow 41 11 13 65
Other broadleaves 133 12 29 174
All broadleaves 849 121 265 1235
Total        
Oak 167 26 26 219
Beech 72 6 15 94
Sycamore 75 9 22 106
Ash 123 19 16 157
Birch 96 12 128 236
Sweet chestnut 28 0 0 29
Hazel 65 14 8 87
Hawthorn 57 8 8 73
Alder 31 10 17 58
Willow 41 11 13 65
Other broadleaves 146 21 44 212
All broadleaves 902 137 297 1337

Source: National Forest Inventory: 50-year forecast of hardwood availability (Forestry Commission, April 2014).

Notes:

1. FE: Forestry England, FLS: Forestry and Land Scotland, NRW: Natural Resources Wales. 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. Stocked area only: excludes felled areas and (for private sector land) open space.

4. Areas at 31 March 2012.

These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics. For further information see the Sources chapter.

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Woodland Inventories

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