Each year Forest Research, with the support of the Expert Group on Timber and Trade Statistics, conducts the following surveys to collect data on the UK timber industry:

• Private Sector Softwood Removals Survey – an annual survey of a sample of harvesting companies in the UK
• Sawmill Survey – an annual survey of sawmills in the UK that are believed to use UK-grown logs
• Survey of Round Fencing Manufacturers – an annual survey of round fencing manufacturers (or mills) in the UK that are believed to consume UK-grown roundwood
• Survey of Pellet and Briquette Production
• Nursery Survey

For the latest copy of each of these surveys, see the Downloads’ section below. The information from these surveys, together with data collected from other sources (e.g. trade associations), is then used to produce statistics to monitor the state of the timber industry and the balance between supply and demand. These statistics have a range of uses, including:

• providing information about the economy;
• informing policy and programme development;
• informing policy and programme evaluation & monitoring;
• promoting the benefits of forestry.

In addition, the statistics contribute to international statistics on wood production and trade.

Information for businesses participating in our surveys

Requests for 2023 data are being issued from Monday 22 January 2024. Please retain the reference number provided in your request to enable you to complete the survey online. If you have lost your reference number, please contact us (see below), or include your contact details in the comments box at the end of the online survey.

By completing the questionnaire, you will help ensure that these statistics are accurate and of maximum value to the industry and to your business.

All data provided will be treated in the strictest confidence and will be aggregated with data from other businesses so that it will not be possible to identify an individual business in any publication or other report. The data will not be used for any purposes other than the production of statistics.

Completing the surveys online

To complete the surveys online, simply click on the relevant link from the list below, then enter your reference number and other data, as required. If you wish to print a copy of your completed questionnaire you will be given the option to do so once you have completed and submitted the survey.

• Sawmill survey (sawmills with sawnwood production less than 25,000 m³)
• Sawmill survey (sawmills with sawnwood production of 25,000 m³ or more)
• Private sector softwoods removals survey
• Survey of round fencing manufacturers
• UK Pellet & Briquette Production

You can use the comments box at the end of the questionnaire to provide any further explanation of the figures you have supplied.  You can also use the comments box to tell us about any remarks you may have about the online questionnaires.  We would welcome any comments on these surveys as it will help us to improve future questionnaires.

Survey Reviews

Summary reviews are undertaken each year for our regular surveys. These consist of:

• Establishing the continuing need for the survey;
• Reviewing the questionnaire to be used; and
• Updating the distribution list of businesses to be approached.

More in-depth reviews of annual surveys are undertaken every 5-10 years, or as required. These are more detailed than the summary reviews.

There is a parallel process for methodology reviews.

Results

Results from these surveys are published annually in:

• UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional figures) – available in May;
• Forestry Statistics – available in September;
• Forestry Facts & Figures – available in September.

Forestry Statistics also includes further information on our surveys (see the Sources chapter).

Contact

If you have any queries on the surveys, please contact us:

Email: statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk

Telephone: 0300 067 5238

Downloads