Introduction

This chapter contains statistics on:

• timber prices;
• gross value added (GVA);
• Government expenditure on forestry; and
• grant schemes.

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.

Most of the statistics presented in this chapter have been previously released. Some of the figures for earlier years have been revised since Forestry Statistics 2018.  For further details on revisions, see the Finance & Prices section of the Sources chapter.

A copy of all Finance & Prices tables can be accessed in spreadsheet format from the Data Downloads web page at https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/data-downloads/.

Previous editions of Forestry Statistics have also included statistics on financial returns from forestry investment in this chapter, from the Investment Property Databank (IPD) UK Forestry Index. As no new data is available, this section has now been excluded; the latest results can be accessed from Forestry Statistics 2018 at www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/statistics/forestry-statistics/forestry-statistics-2018/finance-prices/financial-return-from-forestry-investment/.

Key findings

The main findings are:

• The Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index for Great Britain was 26.8% higher in real terms in the year to March 2019, compared with the previous year.
• The Softwood Sawlog Price Index was 32.5% higher in real terms in the 6 months to March 2019, compared with the corresponding period of the previous year.
• Gross value added (GVA) in primary wood processing (sawmilling, panels and pulp & paper) was £1.48 billion in the UK in 2017. GVA in forestry was £0.70 billion.
• Net expenditure on public forests by Forestry England and by Forestry and Land Scotland totalled £27 million in 2018-19.  A further £97 million was spent by the Forestry Commission and Scottish Forestry on other activities.
• A total of £76.6 million was paid in grants by the Forestry Commission, Scottish Forestry and the Welsh Government in 2018-19.

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Finance & prices