Detailed guide: Access Forestry Commission datasets

You can access Forestry Commission datasets through the Forestry Commission Open Data website, data.gov.uk website and Forest Research website.

Spatial datasets for use in a Geographical Information System (GIS)

You can download a wide range of Forestry Commission spatial datasets for use in a GIS. Map layers available for either England, Scotland, Wales, or all of Great Britain include:

  • The National Forest Inventory woodland map
  • Forestry Commission England woodland creation headline performance indicator
  • woodland grants
  • felling licences
  • surveys of tree pests and diseases
  • National Forest Estate boundaries, recreation features and roads
  • National Forest Estate sub-compartments showing tree species and habitats

To access these datasets, visit the Forestry Commission Open Data website.

Open Datasets

You can download further Open Datasets from the Forestry Commission from the data.gov.uk website, including:

  • Forestry Commission England managed woodland headline performance indicator
  • meteorological data from woodland sites

To access these datasets, visit the Forestry Commission webpages on data.gov.uk.

Forest Research statistics

You can download spreadsheets of statistics on a wide range of forestry topics from the statistics pages of the Forest Research website.

Spreadsheets include statistics for England, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain, or all of the UK, and include tables from the Forestry Statistics publications covering, for example:

  • woodland area and planting
  • timber
  • trade
  • UK forests and climate change
  • environment
  • recreation
  • employment and businesses
  • finance and prices
  • international forestry

To access these datasets, visit the statistics data download webpage on the Forest Research website.



News story: Prime Minister takes message on investment in Africa to the UN

On her first day at the UN General Assembly in New York the Prime Minister Theresa May, will join Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of Canada, President Nana Akufo-Addo of Ghana and President Paul Kagame of Rwanda to convene investors, businesses and young African business leaders. The leaders of Kenya, Sierra Leone and Benin are also expected to attend.

Philanthropist Bill Gates, who shares the PM’s vision for investing in Africa’s youth, is also expected to speak at the event.

The PM will challenge attendees to invest in Africa to create more of the jobs that transform lives as well as economies, lift people out of poverty and enable countries to move to a future beyond aid.

The joint event is the next step in the bold new approach set out on the PM’s visit to Africa last month where she announced a new UK partnership with Africa, centred on investment for job creation and inclusive growth.

Africa needs 18 million new jobs each year between now and 2035 just to keep pace with population growth and the PM will set out how this creates not just a challenge but an opportunity for states and investors. In 2018, five of the world’s fastest-growing economies are African. By 2050, a quarter of the world’s population and a quarter of the world’s consumers will live there.

As the PM said in Cape Town last month, as the leader of a trading nation whose success depends on global markets, she wants to see strong African economies that British companies can do business with in a free and fair fashion.

Whether through creating new customers for British exporters or opportunities for British investors, an integrated global economy means healthy African economies are good news for British people as well as African people.

To that end, last month in Cape Town the PM announced an additional £4 billion programme of UK investment in African economies to pave the way for at least another £4 billion of private sector financing. This included, for the first time, an ambition from the UK government’s Development Finance Institution, CDC, to invest £3.5 billion in African nations over the next four years. The Prime Minister’s call for fresh investment builds towards the UK-Africa investment summit to take place in London in 2019.

The PM will highlight the UK’s role in working with the World Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation to enable them to double investment in Sub-Saharan Africa to $10-12 billion a year by 2030, creating new jobs and helping Africa’s private sector to thrive. She will also welcome a new Sustainable Development Capital Initiative launched by the City of London in response to UK leadership, encouraging greater private sector investment in developing economies. It will bring specialists together to maximise the City’s contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.

Prime Minister Theresa May said:

Last month, I made my first official visit to Africa – meeting leaders, entrepreneurs and young people who are building an exciting future for their countries and their continent.

I saw a continent full of potential. One with a young population that is eager to embrace the opportunities of the 21st century – and ready to play its part in tackling the challenges we all face.

That is why high quality investment and job creation forms the centrepiece of the UK’s new partnership with Africa.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt said:

The City of London has the global expertise to build sustainable relationships with our African partners that will see British businesses investing and trading with some of the fastest growing economies in the world. This is a win for Africa, as it will secure the investment the continent needs for a prosperous future and a win for the UK, seeing British expertise influencing the global economy.

This is about securing the global partnerships that will unlock the crucial private sector backing needed to realise the potential of African economies and create quality jobs.

City of London Corporation Policy Chairman Catherine McGuinness said:

The UK is the world’s second largest investor and donor, and a major trading partner with Africa. It makes a vital contribution to economic development in the world’s poorest countries and we are proud to take a leading role on the international stage.

Thanks to the pioneering efforts of government and industry, London, and indeed the UK as a whole, is a respected world leader in sustainable finance.

It’s only natural therefore that we use this experience to leverage our position as a leading international financial centre to help mobilise the investment and innovation required to achieve the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

I am confident this initiative will provide the leadership, partnership and expert knowledge needed to accelerate the SDGs and realise the trillion-dollar opportunities they present.

Bill Gates, Co-chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation said:

Africa’s growing youth population presents a huge opportunity, but we can only realise that if African governments, supported by partners like the UK, invest sufficiently in health and education for all, so those young people can reach their potential.



News story: Scotland Tribunals recognised as a Carer Positive Employer

The HMCTS Tribunals in Scotland has an active Carer’s Group, which aims to promote carers in HMCTS, to signpost available support and guidance, and to provide peer support in the form of Carer’s Coffee Morning Support Groups.

Susan attended one of these coffee events, which took place on Thursday 20 September in the Glasgow Tribunals Centre. She took the time to meet with staff involved in the Carer’s Group, both the organisers and those who find the group a source of positive support.

This coffee morning was especially significant as it saw the Scotland Tribunals officially receive an accreditation as an ‘Engaged Carer Positive Employer’. This is awarded by ‘Carer Positive’, a Scottish Government Funded Initiative which aims to make life better for carers.

Susan said of her visit:

Going out to meet HMCTS’s brilliant teams across the country is always the highlight of my week – I never fail to be inspired and impressed in equal measure by the courts and tribunals I visit.

And as Senior Disability, Health and Wellbeing Champion for the MoJ, I was especially pleased last week to be welcomed by colleagues at the Glasgow Tribunal Centre and hear about HMCTS Scotland’s official accreditation as an Engaged Carer Positive Employer.

According to the charity Carers UK, 1 in 8 adults are caring for someone close to them – over three million of whom are juggling their responsibilities with employment. The support network that the team in Scotland have put in place is a real exemplar of how we can come together, and make sure that colleagues who are caring for someone have access to as much help and guidance as possible. I look forward to seeing Glasgow’s Carers’ Support Group go from strength to strength.

The Carer’s Group aims to play a part in breaking the isolation that carers can experience. As well as being a support group and arranging events, they arrange for speakers to come in to talk about issues related to caring and promote what help is available through the Ministry of Justice networks, including the employee assistance programme.

Paul McNicol, Chair of the local Carer’s Group, said:

Since first becoming involved with the Carer’s Group my personal situation has happened to change due to caring responsibilities. Gradually the work of this group has taken on more meaning to me and I’ve noticed the difference such support can make for colleagues who need a late start or an early finish to help with their caring responsibilities.

I’m so glad our first coffee morning support group was a success – it was great to see people get together to share experiences and advice.



Press release: Working with nature to reduce flood risk in Norfolk

Work is under way on the first of five natural flood management schemes along rivers in Norfolk to help manage flood risk to local properties and improve habitats.

Natural flood management helps store flood water upstream and slows the flow of water along river channels, complementing the use of more traditional hard engineering downstream such as flood walls and embankments. Techniques such as tree-planting, restoring peatland, building leaky dams and reconnecting rivers to natural flood plains can all be used to reduce flood risk naturally.

The first two schemes under construction in Norfolk are on Camping Beck in the Bure Catchment at Buxton, and the River Yare at Marlingford.

The Buxton project is being carried out through a partnership between the Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board, the Broadland Catchment Partnership and the Environment Agency. Works here involve storing flood flows upstream of Buxton village in an area that will enhance the environment through providing habitat, whilst helping to reduce flood risk downstream.

The Marlingford scheme is being carried out by a partnership involving Natural England, the Broadland Catchment Partnership and Environment Agency. A series of ‘flow deflectors’ and lengths of woody debris will be constructed in the channel of the River Yare to redirect flood water on to the flood plain, so it is stored upstream for longer and reduces the risk to communities downstream.

Sections of the riverbank will also be lowered at strategic locations for the same reason, and ‘scrapes’ will be dug in to the floodplain to increase water storage capacity. This will have the added benefit of providing habitat for wading birds such as lapwing, teal and snipe, plus invertebrates and other wildlife.

Similar techniques will be used at Ingworth on the River Bure, and Weybourne on the Spring Beck, with work due to begin soon.

A fifth scheme will be constructed at Worthing on the River Blackwater in partnership with the Norfolk Rivers Trust, with work taking place late Autumn.

The work is being carried out as part of a £15million Natural Flood Management programme, which was announced by Defra in 2017.

The Environment Agency’s Peta Denham, Area Flood Risk Manager for Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, said:

I’ve always had an interest in how we can work more with nature to reduce flood risk, so I’m really pleased to get the opportunity to work on these natural flood management schemes in Norfolk.

We’ll help manage flood risk to communities at the same time as improving habitats – so it’s a win-win situation. I’m really looking forward to working with partners and our Regional Flood & Coastal Committee on these exciting projects on the ground, which will leave a real legacy of multiple benefits for future generations.

Environment minister Thérèse Coffey said:

The start of work on the new natural flood management (NFM) schemes is excellent news for Norfolk. The county is just one of the areas across England benefitting from our £15m investment in NFM and in the record £2.6billion we are investing overall to better protect against flooding.

Once finished, the Norfolk schemes will provide additional support in reducing the flood risks to local land, homes and businesses. On top of this, they will also enhance and restore some of the county’s wildlife habitats and improve water quality in its rivers.

This is a great example of how the Environment Agency is working with partners to protect Norfolk’s communities from the damage caused by flooding.

Emily Swan, Natural England lead adviser in farming and conservation, said:

The scheme at Marlingford is an exciting opportunity for us all to work together to create a resilient landscape along the Yare river valley.

Local communities and wildlife will benefit from a package of measures put together which are aimed at reducing flood risk, improving the water quality of the river and enhancing and preserving a mosaic of important habitats for fish, wintering birds and wildflower rich floodplain meadows in the valley.

Neil Punchard, Broadland Catchment Partnership officer, said:

This partnership helps co-ordinate farmers and organisations in working together. This can cost-effectively provide multiple benefits including wetland wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and reduced flood risk for local communities

Matthew Philpot, Project Engineer for Broads & Norfolk Rivers IDB said:

The joint working on natural flood management projects has delivered important, tangible benefits for many local communities across our county.

The integration of staff, resource and ideas has opened up a number of projects, which have given significant efficiencies along with multiple benefits to wildlife, people and property.

Working with nature and thinking in new, progressive ways about drainage opportunities has been highly beneficial and will continue to provide positive outcomes for many years to come.

Notes to Editors:

  • Natural flood management is an important part of the Environment Agency’s strategy in protecting communities from flood and coastal erosion risk.
  • It can be a cost-effective and sustainable way to manage flood risk and coastal erosion alongside traditional engineering, while creating habitat for wildlife and helping regenerate rural and urban areas through tourism.
  • Many flood and coastal schemes feature a mixture of hard and soft engineering and natural flood management.

For East Anglia press office please contact (24 hours): 0800 917 9250



Press release: Working with nature to reduce flood risk in Norfolk

Work is under way on the first of five natural flood management schemes along rivers in Norfolk to help manage flood risk to local properties and improve habitats.

Natural flood management helps store flood water upstream and slows the flow of water along river channels, complementing the use of more traditional hard engineering downstream such as flood walls and embankments. Techniques such as tree-planting, restoring peatland, building leaky dams and reconnecting rivers to natural flood plains can all be used to reduce flood risk naturally.

The first two schemes under construction in Norfolk are on Camping Beck in the Bure Catchment at Buxton, and the River Yare at Marlingford.

The Buxton project is being carried out through a partnership between the Norfolk Rivers Internal Drainage Board, the Broadland Catchment Partnership and the Environment Agency. Works here involve storing flood flows upstream of Buxton village in an area that will enhance the environment through providing habitat, whilst helping to reduce flood risk downstream.

The Marlingford scheme is being carried out by a partnership involving Natural England, the Broadland Catchment Partnership and Environment Agency. A series of ‘flow deflectors’ and lengths of woody debris will be constructed in the channel of the River Yare to redirect flood water on to the flood plain, so it is stored upstream for longer and reduces the risk to communities downstream.

Sections of the riverbank will also be lowered at strategic locations for the same reason, and ‘scrapes’ will be dug in to the floodplain to increase water storage capacity. This will have the added benefit of providing habitat for wading birds such as lapwing, teal and snipe, plus invertebrates and other wildlife.

Similar techniques will be used at Ingworth on the River Bure, and Weybourne on the Spring Beck, with work due to begin soon.

A fifth scheme will be constructed at Worthing on the River Blackwater in partnership with the Norfolk Rivers Trust, with work taking place late Autumn.

The work is being carried out as part of a £15million Natural Flood Management programme, which was announced by Defra in 2017.

The Environment Agency’s Peta Denham, Area Flood Risk Manager for Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, said:

I’ve always had an interest in how we can work more with nature to reduce flood risk, so I’m really pleased to get the opportunity to work on these natural flood management schemes in Norfolk.

We’ll help manage flood risk to communities at the same time as improving habitats – so it’s a win-win situation. I’m really looking forward to working with partners and our Regional Flood & Coastal Committee on these exciting projects on the ground, which will leave a real legacy of multiple benefits for future generations.

Environment minister Thérèse Coffey said:

The start of work on the new natural flood management (NFM) schemes is excellent news for Norfolk. The county is just one of the areas across England benefitting from our £15m investment in NFM and in the record £2.6billion we are investing overall to better protect against flooding.

Once finished, the Norfolk schemes will provide additional support in reducing the flood risks to local land, homes and businesses. On top of this, they will also enhance and restore some of the county’s wildlife habitats and improve water quality in its rivers.

This is a great example of how the Environment Agency is working with partners to protect Norfolk’s communities from the damage caused by flooding.

Emily Swan, Natural England lead adviser in farming and conservation, said:

The scheme at Marlingford is an exciting opportunity for us all to work together to create a resilient landscape along the Yare river valley.

Local communities and wildlife will benefit from a package of measures put together which are aimed at reducing flood risk, improving the water quality of the river and enhancing and preserving a mosaic of important habitats for fish, wintering birds and wildflower rich floodplain meadows in the valley.

Neil Punchard, Broadland Catchment Partnership officer, said:

This partnership helps co-ordinate farmers and organisations in working together. This can cost-effectively provide multiple benefits including wetland wildlife habitat, improved water quality, and reduced flood risk for local communities

Matthew Philpot, Project Engineer for Broads & Norfolk Rivers IDB said:

The joint working on natural flood management projects has delivered important, tangible benefits for many local communities across our county.

The integration of staff, resource and ideas has opened up a number of projects, which have given significant efficiencies along with multiple benefits to wildlife, people and property.

Working with nature and thinking in new, progressive ways about drainage opportunities has been highly beneficial and will continue to provide positive outcomes for many years to come.

Notes to Editors:

  • Natural flood management is an important part of the Environment Agency’s strategy in protecting communities from flood and coastal erosion risk.
  • It can be a cost-effective and sustainable way to manage flood risk and coastal erosion alongside traditional engineering, while creating habitat for wildlife and helping regenerate rural and urban areas through tourism.
  • Many flood and coastal schemes feature a mixture of hard and soft engineering and natural flood management.

For East Anglia press office please contact (24 hours): 0800 917 9250