Conversion factors between cubic metres and green tonnes

The following factors have been used in Chapter 2 (Timber) to convert between cubic metres (m³) and green tonnes:

The diagram shows separate conversion factors to use when converting softwood (SW) and hardwood (HW) with arrows to indicate the direction of conversion.  For example, to convert 1,000 green tonnes of SW into an under bark volume, the 1,000 green tonnes should be multiplied by the conversion factor of 0.982 to give 982m³ underbark.  There is no difference between the softwood and hardwood conversion factors for converting between standing volume and overbark volumes.

The following factors have been used in Chapter 3 (Trade) to convert between cubic metres (m³) and metric tonnes:

In this case, all the factors are expressed as volumes (in m³) per weight (in tonnes).  Therefore, to convert 1,000 tonnes of sawn softwood into a volume, the 1,000 tonnes should be multiplied by 1.82 to give 1,820 m³.

Conversion factors between cubic metres and metric tonnes

The following factors have been used in Chapter 3 (Trade) where required to convert to wood raw material equivalent, which indicates the volume of wood (in m³ underbark) needed to produce one unit of a final product:

Conversion factors to Wood Raw Material Equivalent (wrme) underbark

^Notes:

^{1. A revised set of figures was produced in FC Technical Paper 19, “Revised Forecasts of the Supply and Demand for Wood in the UK” (Forestry Commission, 1996), but these have not been used in this publication.}

Additional resources

Chapter 2: UK-Grown Timber

Chapter 3: Trade