## Forestry Statistics 2020 Chapter 5: Environment

 
Release date: 
24 September 2020 
Coverage: 
United Kingdom Geographical breakdown: 
Country 

Issued by:  
Forest Research 231 Corstorphine Road, Edinburgh, EH12 7AT 
Enquiries:    
Robert Stagg 0300 067 5238 statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk  
Statistician: 
Sheila Ward 0300 067 5236 
Website:    
www.forestresearch.gov.uk/statistics/ 

## Contents

Introduction ........................................................................................ 3 Key findings ........................................................................................ 3 5.1 Populations of wild birds .................................................................. 4 
5.2 Public Opinion of Forestry - tree health 
.............................................. 7 
5.3 Woodland types and habitats .......................................................... 
10 

## Introduction

This chapter presents a range of information about the woodland environment, mostly using sources that are outside the scope of National Statistics.  They are included to provide additional context to the topic. Estimates for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland are included, where possible, in addition to UK or GB totals.  Further information on the data sources and methodology used to compile the figures is provided in the Sources chapter. All of the statistics presented in this chapter have been previously released. The statistics on the populations of wild birds (Table 5.1 and Figure 5.1) have been revised since "Forestry Statistics 2019".  For further details on revisions, see the Environment section of the Sources chapter. A copy of all environment tables can be accessed in spreadsheet format from the Data Downloads web page at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-andresources/statistics/data-downloads/. 

## Key Findings

The main findings are: 

- The UK woodland bird index has remained relatively stable since the 
early 1990s, following a period of long-term decline. In recent years the index has decreased, most of this decline has occurred in woodland specialist species.  
- The total area of native woodland in Great Britain is estimated to be 
around 1.51 million hectares. 
- Non-native coniferous woodland is the single largest habitat type in 
Great Britain, accounting for 1.29 million hectares (42%). 

## 5.1 Populations Of Wild Birds

Bird populations provide a good indication of the broad state of wildlife in the UK.  This is because they are a well-studied taxonomic group, enabling a more informed interpretation of observed changes, who occupy a range of habitats while still responding to the same environmental pressures that also operate on other groups of wildlife. Indices of wild bird populations in the UK are produced annually by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in conjunction with the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), the British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) and the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), and cover a range of species that are native to the UK.  This data has been produced since the early 1970s for the majority of habitat groups, meaning there is considerable long-term data available on the changes in bird populations, which aids in the interpretation of more short-term variation. The latest statistical release on Wild Bird Populations was published in November 2019 and includes data to 2018. The index for woodland birds was expanded in 2007 to cover 38 species.  A further change in 2015 resulted in a reduction to 37 species, of which 12 are generalists and 25 are woodland specialists (those that breed or feed mainly or solely in woodland). Since the early 1990s, when the majority of species group indices stabilised, the UK woodland bird index has generally been about 20 per cent below the level of the early 1970s, with the decline predominantly in woodland specialist species (Figure 5.1). Causes for the long-term decline in the woodland bird index may include a lack of diversity in habitats and food sources, loss of habitats and food sources through damage caused by increasing deer populations, and a reduction in some migratory species following pressures in other parts of the world. In recent years, woodland bird indices have largely decreased. Since 2015 woodland specialist species have fallen by 14% and woodland generalist species have fallen by 10%. 


     index (year 2000 = 100) 
Total 
Farmland 
Woodland 
Woodland 
Year 
breeding 
birds 
Seabirds Woodland 
birds 
generalists 
specialists 
birds 
2009 
95.9 
89.4 
87.6 
90.1 
98.0 
84.2 
2010 
97.4 
86.9 
84.7 
100.8 
101.8 
97.9 
2011 
96.1 
86.4 
81.4 
103.3 
98.7 
103.4 
2012 
96.8 
87.1 
76.7 
104.5 
102.0 
103.7 
2013 
89.3 
78.9 
74.6 
90.5 
89.5 
88.7 
2014 
96.0 
80.2 
81.0 
100.3 
103.1 
96.8 
2015 
99.3 
85.1 
77.9 
100.9 
105.2 
96.7 
2016 
96.3 
77.6 
81.0 
95.7 
102.7 
90.5 
2017 
97.3 
80.8 
82.3 
92.8 
103.7 
85.7 
2018 
92.0 
77.6 
75.6 
88.3 
94.4 
83.0 

 
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Notes: 
1. Based on data in Wild Bird Populations in the UK, 1970-2018 statistical release (Defra, 

November 2019). 
 
Source: British Trust for Ornithology (BTO), Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC), Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB). Notes: 
1. Based on data in Wild Bird Populations in the UK, 1970-2018 statistical release (Defra, 

November 2019). 

## 5.2 Public Opinion Of Forestry - Tree Health

Forest Research has conducted similar surveys of public attitudes to forestry and forestry-related issues every two years since 1995. The most recent surveys were conducted in 2019 (with separate surveys in Wales, Northern Ireland and across the UK as a whole) and in 2017 (in Scotland).  Full results are available within the Public Opinion of Forestry reports available on our website at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/statisticsby-topic/public-opinion-of-forestry/. Respondents to the UK survey in 2019 were asked their views on a range of statements relating to tree health.  The highest level of agreement was seen with the statement "action should be taken by authorities and woodland managers to protect trees from damaging pests and disease", with 85% of UK respondents agreeing (agree or strongly agree) (Figure 5.2 and Table 5.2). This compares with only 23% agreeing with the statements "there is very little that anyone can do to prevent the spread of damaging tree pests and diseases". 

 
 
Source: UK Public Opinion of Forestry Survey 2019. Base: 2,000 UK respondents. Notes: 
1. The range of uncertainty around any result should be no more than ±3.2%. These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 


percent of respondents who agree or strongly agree 
 
2015 
2017 
2019 
75 
85 
85 
Action should be taken by authorities and woodland managers to protect trees from damaging pests and diseases 
57 
74 
74 
Everyone should take action when visiting woodlands to help prevent the spread of damaging tree pests and diseases 
55 
65 
65 
I would be willing to look out for and report sightings of pests and diseases on trees, if appropriate information and advice was available to me If I buy an imported tree, it is more likely to carry tree pests and diseases than a tree grown in the UK 
42 
48 
46 
I am aware that possible tree pests and diseases can be reported using the Tree Alert app or website 
22 
23 
25 
There is very little that anyone can do to prevent the spread of damaging tree pests and diseases 
21 
23 
23 

 
Source: UK Public Opinion of Forestry Surveys. Note: 
1. Figures are based on all respondents: weighted totals = 2015 (1,804), 2017 (2,113), 2019 

(2,174). 
2. The range of uncertainty around any result should be no more than ±3.5% in any of the 
years shown.  To compare results over time, a difference of at least 5 percentage points is required to indicate that there is a significant difference. 
 These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. 


## 5.3 Woodland Types And Habitats

National Forest Inventory (NFI) reports on woodland ecological condition, released in February 2020, provide estimates of the areas of woodland types and of woodland habitats in Great Britain. Table 5.3a presents estimates of the extent of each type of woodland. The total area of native woodland in Great Britain is estimated to be around 1.51 million hectares. This equates to around one half (49%) of the woodland area in Great Britain. The proportion of native woodland is highest in England (62%), followed by Wales (48%) and Scotland (32%).  

thousand hectares 
Type of woodland 
England 
Wales 
Scotland 
Great 
Britain 
Native 
914  
150  
443  
1,507  
Near native & fragments 
29  
7 
20 
57 
Non-native 
398  
155 
908 
1,461  
Not determinable 
2 
1 
17 
20 
Total 
1,343  
313 
1,388 
3,045 

 
Source: NFI Woodland Ecological Condition Statistics (February 2020) Notes: 
1. The report "NFI Woodland Ecological Condition Scoring Methodology" provides further 

details on woodland types. 
2. Comparisons with woodland area should not be made as woodland area is defined 
differently to woodland habitat (with woodland area being greater than habitat area due to the treatment of land uses like open space and clear-fell). 
3. Clear-fell and transition land are included in the estimates. Woodland type for some clearfell and transition land cannot be determined and are assigned as not determinable. 
 These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics.  For further information see the Sources chapter. Non-native coniferous woodland is the single largest habitat type in Great Britain, accounting for 1.29 million hectares (42%). This is the most common habitat type for Scotland (59%) and Wales (46%). For England, lowland mixed deciduous woodland accounts for over one half (56%) of woodlands. 

thousand hectares 
Habitat type 
England 
Wales 
Scotland 
Great 
Britain 
Lowland beech/yew woodland 
54 
6 
1 
62 
Lowland mixed deciduous woodland 
748 
79 
82 
909 
Native pine woodlands 
0 
0 
124 
124 
Non-HAP native pinewood 
0 
0 
38 
38 
11 
2 
120 
134 
Upland birchwoods (Scotland), birch dominated upland oakwoods (England, Wales) Upland mixed ashwoods 
32 
7 
15 
54 
Upland oakwoods 
44 
26 
33 
103 
Wet woodland 
78 
28 
63 
169 
Wood pasture & parkland 
8 
0 
3 
11 
Broadleaf habitat NOT classified as priority 
19 
12 
21 
53 
Non-native coniferous woodland 
328 
145 
819 
1,292 
Clearfelled and transition 
22 
6 
70 
97 
Total 
1,344 
313 
1,389 
3,045 

 
Source: NFI Woodland Ecological Condition Statistics (February 2020) Notes: 
1. The report "NFI Woodland Ecological Condition Scoring Methodology" provides further 

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