The amount of the UK covered by woodland is at its highest for over 250 years.
There is now 11,200 sq miles of woodland in the UK, almost 12% of the country's total land area (the UK is almost exactly the same size as Oregon).
British woodland is last though to have been at such levels in 1750 just before many forests were stripped bare to build ships in the fight against France in both the Seven Years War and Napoleonic Wars (Britain won them both). And back in 1086, the Doomsday Book recorded that 15% of England alone was forested.
Deforestation got so bad that eventually just 5% of the UK was forested before efforts were started in the 1940s to stop the decline.
Now, the amount of the UK covered in forest is more than double what is was during World War I.
However, the UK is still some way behind the European average of 44%. Around a third of France is forested. The most heavily forested European country is Finland where an incredible 72% of the country is forested. Outside of Europe, around 40% of Canada is forested and around a third of the US. The world's most forested country is the Cook Islands. 95% of it is forested.
Forest levels booming as UK woodland returns to highest level in more than 250 years
British woodland has returned to the levels of the 1750s, with tree cover having more than doubled since the end of the First World War, a United Nations report has shown.
By Victoria Ward
03 Oct 2010
The Telegraph
Robin Hood's haunt: Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire Photo: ALAMY
The amount of woodland in the UK now stands at 11,200 miles, 11.8 per cent of the total land area.
The growth, attributed in part to a boom in individuals branching out into forestry because of tax breaks, was greeted with cautious optimism by woodland historians.
So much new forest is being planted that some areas could even reach the 15 per cent of woodland recorded in England by the Doomsday Book in 1086, the figures suggest.
But experts warned that Britain still had a long way to go before hitting the European average of 44 per cent. Finland boasts the highest level of tree cover with 72 per cent of land area covered in forest.
Hugh Johnson, the wine and tree expert, said: “It’s delicious news but we still have a long way to go.
“A third of France is woodland and most of that is oak.”
Kielder Forest, in northern England near the border with Scotland, is the largest man-made forest in Europe
British woodland was last thought to be at such levels in 1750, when forests had been replenished after the agricultural revolution but before they were stripped bare again to build ships ahead of the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic wars against the French.
Forest cover dropped to below 5 per cent before new growth gradually began to turn things around from the 1940s.
The new Forestry Commission report, conducted for the UN’s food and agriculture department, disclosed that the amount of woodland owned by individuals now accounts for almost half of all our tree cover, having grown by 22 per cent in 15 years, the Sunday Times reported.
Those buying woodland as an investment have found that it has outperformed shares and commercial property in recent years, with an annual return of 5 per cent. Once owned for two years, it is except from inheritance tax.
Proceeds from the sale of timber are also exempt from income tax and corporation tax and there is no capital gains tax on the growth of value in tree crops.
The Woodland Trust has launched a campaign to plant 20 million trees in Britain for the next five decades in a bid to bring tree cover closer in line with the European average.
telegraph.co.uk
There is now 11,200 sq miles of woodland in the UK, almost 12% of the country's total land area (the UK is almost exactly the same size as Oregon).
British woodland is last though to have been at such levels in 1750 just before many forests were stripped bare to build ships in the fight against France in both the Seven Years War and Napoleonic Wars (Britain won them both). And back in 1086, the Doomsday Book recorded that 15% of England alone was forested.
Deforestation got so bad that eventually just 5% of the UK was forested before efforts were started in the 1940s to stop the decline.
Now, the amount of the UK covered in forest is more than double what is was during World War I.
However, the UK is still some way behind the European average of 44%. Around a third of France is forested. The most heavily forested European country is Finland where an incredible 72% of the country is forested. Outside of Europe, around 40% of Canada is forested and around a third of the US. The world's most forested country is the Cook Islands. 95% of it is forested.
Forest levels booming as UK woodland returns to highest level in more than 250 years
British woodland has returned to the levels of the 1750s, with tree cover having more than doubled since the end of the First World War, a United Nations report has shown.
By Victoria Ward
03 Oct 2010
The Telegraph
Robin Hood's haunt: Sherwood Forest in Nottinghamshire Photo: ALAMY
The amount of woodland in the UK now stands at 11,200 miles, 11.8 per cent of the total land area.
The growth, attributed in part to a boom in individuals branching out into forestry because of tax breaks, was greeted with cautious optimism by woodland historians.
So much new forest is being planted that some areas could even reach the 15 per cent of woodland recorded in England by the Doomsday Book in 1086, the figures suggest.
But experts warned that Britain still had a long way to go before hitting the European average of 44 per cent. Finland boasts the highest level of tree cover with 72 per cent of land area covered in forest.
Hugh Johnson, the wine and tree expert, said: “It’s delicious news but we still have a long way to go.
“A third of France is woodland and most of that is oak.”
Kielder Forest, in northern England near the border with Scotland, is the largest man-made forest in Europe
British woodland was last thought to be at such levels in 1750, when forests had been replenished after the agricultural revolution but before they were stripped bare again to build ships ahead of the Seven Years War and the Napoleonic wars against the French.
Forest cover dropped to below 5 per cent before new growth gradually began to turn things around from the 1940s.
The new Forestry Commission report, conducted for the UN’s food and agriculture department, disclosed that the amount of woodland owned by individuals now accounts for almost half of all our tree cover, having grown by 22 per cent in 15 years, the Sunday Times reported.
Those buying woodland as an investment have found that it has outperformed shares and commercial property in recent years, with an annual return of 5 per cent. Once owned for two years, it is except from inheritance tax.
Proceeds from the sale of timber are also exempt from income tax and corporation tax and there is no capital gains tax on the growth of value in tree crops.
The Woodland Trust has launched a campaign to plant 20 million trees in Britain for the next five decades in a bid to bring tree cover closer in line with the European average.
telegraph.co.uk
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