Table 1.8 presents the area of conifers, broken down by principal species, ownership and country.
Sitka spruce accounts for around one half (51%) of the conifer area in Great Britain (Table 1.8), followed by Scots pine (17%) and Larches (10%). Sitka spruce is less dominant in England, accounting for just one quarter (26%) of the conifer area there.
Table 1.8 Stocked woodland area in GB by ownership and principal species: Conifers
Principal species | England | Wales | Scotland | GB |
thousand hectares | ||||
FC/NRW1 | ||||
Sitka spruce | 49 | 50 | 225 | 323 |
Scots pine | 17 | 2 | 45 | 64 |
Corsican pine | 27 | 2 | 2 | 30 |
Norway spruce | 7 | 5 | 11 | 23 |
Larches | 10 | 12 | 26 | 48 |
Douglas fir | 10 | 5 | 5 | 20 |
Lodgepole pine | 4 | 3 | 49 | 56 |
Other conifers | 5 | 3 | 3 | 11 |
All conifers | 128 | 82 | 367 | 576 |
Private sector2 | ||||
Sitka spruce | 32 | 27 | 282 | 341 |
Scots pine | 45 | 1 | 109 | 154 |
Corsican pine | 14 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
Norway spruce | 21 | 3 | 15 | 38 |
Larches | 30 | 8 | 39 | 78 |
Douglas fir | 15 | 3 | 7 | 25 |
Lodgepole pine | 3 | 1 | 39 | 44 |
Other conifers | 19 | 2 | 8 | 29 |
All conifers | 179 | 47 | 505 | 732 |
Total | ||||
Sitka spruce | 80 | 77 | 507 | 665 |
Scots pine | 61 | 3 | 154 | 218 |
Corsican pine | 40 | 2 | 3 | 46 |
Norway spruce | 27 | 8 | 25 | 61 |
Larches | 40 | 20 | 66 | 126 |
Douglas fir | 25 | 9 | 12 | 46 |
Lodgepole pine | 8 | 4 | 88 | 100 |
Other conifers | 24 | 5 | 11 | 40 |
All conifers | 307 | 129 | 872 | 1308 |
Source: National Forest Inventory: 50-year forecast of softwood availability (Forestry Commission, April 2014).
Notes:
1. FC: Forestry Commission (England and Scotland), NRW: Natural Resources Wales. NRW estimates only relate to woodland formerly owned/managed by FC Wales.
2. Private sector: all other woodland. Includes woodland previously owned/managed by the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency in Wales, other publicly owned woodland (e.g. owned by local authorities) and privately owned woodland.
3. Stocked area only: excludes felled areas and (for private sector land) open space.
4. Areas at 31 March 2012.
These figures are outside the scope of National Statistics. For further information see the Sources chapter.
Sources chapter: Woodland Inventories