Table 1.15 shows the area covered by unconditional felling licences issued by the Forestry Commission, Scottish Forestry and Natural Resources Wales in the last 10 years. The figures do not include unconditional felling licences issued to permit thinning of woodlands. The table covers woodland in England, Scotland and Wales that is not owned or managed by Forestry England, Forestry and Land Scotland or Natural Resources Wales only; it does not cover felling that is exempt from felling licence approval (such as authorisations for felling under planning regulations, felling required under a Statutory Plant Health Notice or felling that is approved on condition that the area is restocked).

A total of 0.7 thousand hectares of woodland in England and 0.1 thousand hectares in Wales was covered by unconditional felling licences (with no requirement to restock) in the year to March 2019. The level in Scotland was under 50 hectares.

Table 1.15 Area of private sector woodland covered by unconditional felling licences¹, 2009-10 to 2018-19

^{Source: Forestry Commission, Scottish Forestry, Natural Resources Wales}

^Notes:

^{1. Felling licences issued in the period. Excludes areas exempt from felling licence approval and licences issued for thinning.}

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

Additional resources

Sources chapter: Felling