Forest carbon stock is the amount of carbon that has been sequestered from the atmosphere and is now stored within the forest ecosystem, mainly within living biomass and soil, and to a lesser extent also in dead wood and litter. 

Table 4.1 presents estimates of UK forest carbon stock that were compiled in 2018 for submission to international organisations.  The total carbon stock stored within UK forests is estimated to have increased between 1990 and 2015, and to continue increasing to 2020 (Table 4.1).  The carbon stored in forest soils accounts for around 70% of total forest carbon stock.

Table 4.1 Forest carbon stock

^{Source: Forest Research}

^Notes

^{1.  Carbon in soil depth 0 to 100 cm.}

^{2.  To convert tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent (CO₂e) to tonnes carbon (C), multiply by 12/44.}

^{3.  Changes in soil carbon stocks over the period can be attributed to changes in UK forest area.}

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

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Carbon