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Home / Tools and resources / Statistics / Publications / Forestry Statistics 2016 / 2016 – Woodland Areas and Planting
Back to 2016 – Woodland Areas and Planting

Not all land that is owned or managed by the Forestry Commission, Natural Resources Wales or the Forest Service in Northern Ireland is woodland; other land uses include agricultural land and mountain areas and moorland.

The Natural Resources Wales woodland areas and land areas shown relate to areas previously owned or managed by Forestry Commission Wales. They exclude any areas previously owned or managed by other parts of Natural Resources Wales, such as the former Environment Agency Wales and the former Countryside Council for Wales.

Woodland accounted for 79% of all Forestry Commission/Natural Resources Wales/Forest Service land in the UK at 31 March 2016 (Table 1.5). This proportion was highest in Wales (95%) and lowest in Scotland (74%).

Table 1.5 Land use of the FC, NRW and FS1, 2012-2016
Year England Wales Scotland Northern
Ireland		 UK
thousand hectares
Woodland
2012 214 117 481 62 874
2013 214 117 481 62 874
2014 215 117 477 62 871
2015 215 117 478 62 871
2016 215 117 471 62 864
Other land2
2012 38 7 170 14 229
2013 38 7 171 14 230
2014 38 7 170 14 228
2015 38 7 171 13 229
2016 38 7 170 13 228
Total FC/NRW/FS
land area
2012 253 124 651 75 1 103
2013 253 124 652 75 1 104
2014 253 124 647 75 1 099
2015 253 124 649 75 1 100
2016 253 124 640 75 1 092

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

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. “Other land” includes agricultural land and areas of moorland and mountain.

3. Areas as at 31 March.