e-Digest Statistics about: Land Use and Land Cover
Forestry
Table 10 shows new planting and restocking for conifers and broadleaves in the UK. There has been a decline in new conifer planting from the peaks reached in the late 1980s although this has been accompanied by an increase in the proportion of native Scots Pine planted or regenerated in Scotland, supported by special Government incentives. The marked increase in new planting of broad leafed species since 1985 follows the introduction of the Woodland Grant Scheme and other Government incentives.
Forest health
Since 1987, the Forestry Commission has monitored changes in forest health by annually re-assessing five tree species in plots distributed throughout Great Britain. A total of 8256 trees were assessed in 2004, distributed over 344 plots throughout Great Britain. Growing conditions during 2004 were generally good and all of the surveyed species except beech showed some improvement in condition.. Table 11 summarises crown density results from 1987 to 2004. Crown density classes are used as an indicator of tree condition relative to an ideal tree. For example, the 11-25 per cent class covers trees that are assessed as having 11-25 per cent less foliage than an ideal tree. This is not the same as the "local tree" method used in other European countries.
Further Information:
- Data Tables:
- 9 Forest cover: 1980-2005, United Kingdom XLS
- Chart 6 Forest and woodland cover: 1980-2005 XLS
- Chart 9 Area of woodland: 1924-2005 XLS
- 10 New planting and restocking: 1980/81-2005/6, United Kingdom XLS
- 11 Forest health surveys, crown density: 1987-2004, Great Britain XLS
- Internet Links:
- e-digest: Area of woodland
- Forestry Commission of Great Britain
- Forest Service for Northern Ireland
- National Forest Company
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Page last modified: 28 November 2005
Page published: 28 October 2004