UK: forestry statistics for 2006 published

The Forestry Commission has published provisional statistics for 2006 in the First Release “UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional figures)”.

The statistics cover four topics:

• removals of roundwood (i.e. harvesting of wood from UK forests);
• deliveries of UK roundwood to primary wood-processing industries;
• production of wood products from primary wood-processing industries; and
• imports and exports of wood products.

The provisional figures for 2006 indicate the following:
Harvesting of UK roundwood comprised:

• 8.6 million green tonnes of softwood – a 1% increase from 2005; and
• 0.4 million green tonnes of hardwood – a 27% fall from 2005.

UK roundwood deliveries to industries and others comprised:

• a total of 8.8 million tonnes of roundwood (softwood and hardwood), a 1% reduction from 2005;
• sawmills: 5.3 million green tonnes, a 5% increase;
• wood-based panels: 1.4 million green tonnes, a 9% reduction;
• integrated pulp and paper mills: 0.5 million green tonnes, a 25% reduction; and
• other uses, including round fencing, woodfuel, shavings and exports of roundwood: 1.5 million green tonnes, unchanged from 2005.

UK production of wood products in 2006 included:

• 3.0 million cubic metres of sawnwood (an increase of 4% from 2005);
• 3.5 million cubic metres of wood-based panels (a 3% increase from 2005); and
• 5.6 million tonnes of paper and paperboard (a 7% fall from 2005).

Trade:

• UK imports in 2006 included 7.7 million cubic metres of sawnwood, 3.4 million cubic metres of wood-based panels and 9.3 million tonnes of pulp and paper.
• The total value of wood product imports in 2006 was £6.1 billion, of which £4.1 billion was pulp and paper. Pulp and paper also accounted for the majority of exports, generating £1.3 billion in 2006 out of a total of £1.5 billion for all wood product exports.

Further information
The First Release “UK Wood Production and Trade (provisional figures)” can be downloaded here (PDF-document).
For more information about UK National Statistics visit National Statistics Online.

Contact
Jackie Watson
Phone: +44 13 13 14 61 71
E-mail: statistics@forestry.gsi.gov.uk

(Cf. news of 2007-01-25.)

Source

Forestry Commission, press release, 2007-05-10.

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