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Written question asked by Norman Baker (Liberal Democrat) on Thursday, 9 June 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 13 June 2005. It was answered by Lord Knight of Weymouth (Labour) on Thursday, 16 June 2005 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Trees

Question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the total (a) area and (b) production in cubic metres of (i) broadleaf and (ii) coniferous woodland in England has been in each year since 1980, broken down by region.
Answer

A national woodland survey is carried out by the Forestry Commission at intervals of between 15 and 20 years. Comparative areas of woodland¹ in 1980 and 1998 were published in the latest National Inventory of Woodland and Trees, Regional Inventory reports. The figures are given in the table as follows.

1980 2 thousand hectares 1998 3 thousand hectares
Region Broadleaves Conifers Broadleaves Conifers
North-East 16.2 73.3 24.5 69.2
North-West 33.0 39.4 46.7 39.8
Yorkshire and the Humber 39.0 37.4 46.1 35.4
East Midlands 37.8 21.6 52.9 17.9
West Midlands 44.1 28.3 63.1 25.7
East of England 59.4 40.7 90.2 37.5
London 5.4 0.3 5.5 0.2
South East 138.2 59.1 173.6 52.4
South West 95.7 63.8 137.4 60.8
Total England 468.8 363.9 640.0 338.9
Notes: 1. Differences in sampling methodology between 1980 and 1998 may account for some of the differences. 2. In the 1980 Census the area assigned to broadleaves and conifers included any associated open space such as roads and rides. In the 1998 Inventory open spaces are separately identified and to obtain meaningful comparison between the two datasets the 1980 Census data has been reduced by the percentage of open space identified in the 1998 Inventory (Nationally 6.5 per cent.).
(7) Excluding open space, coppice and felled areas awaiting replanting.
(8) 1980 Census of Woodland
(9) National Inventory of Woodland and Trees—Regional Inventory Reports. Reference dates varied by region 1995 to 1999.

Timber production is not recorded by region and the estimate for total England production is given in the table as follows.

Removals in million cubic metres overbarkstanding
Hardwoods (from broadleafed trees) Softwood (from conifer trees)
1980 1.2 1.3
1981 1.2 1.3
1982 1.0 1.4
1983 0.8 1.4
1984 0.8 1.5
1985 0.9 1.5
1986 0.9 1.7
1987 0.8 1.9
1988 1.1 2.3
1989 1.2 2.5
1990 1.1 2.5
1991 1.1 2.5
1992 0.8 2.6
1993 0.7 2.3
1994 0.8 2.6
1995 0.9 2.5
1996 0.8 2.4
1997 0.8 2.2
1998 0.7 2.1
1999 0.7 2.2
2000 0.6 2.1
2001 0.6 2.0
2002 0.6 1.8
2003 0.5 2.1
2004 0.5 2.4

"¹ Based on figures published in Forestry Facts and Figures for 1980–94, adjusted to consistent definition. Later figures for private sector removals estimated from a GB survey for 2000–04 and interpolated."² Figures for 2004 are currently provisional.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
435 c566-8W;435 c570-2W; 4446
Session
2005-06
Subjects
Trees