The British Woodlands Survey supports research across a wide range of important forestry topics in collaboration with universities and government partners, with the aim of advancing sustainable woodland management.
Through the British Woodlands Surveys we actively ask stakeholders – private landowners, land managers, agents, tree nurseries and businesses who have an interest in our trees and forests – about their aims and aspirations, such as the barriers to various approaches to woodland management, and also about threats, such as pests and diseases, and opportunities, such as growing the green bio-economy.
While the British Woodlands Survey complements other larger surveys, it can also reach people who own just a small amount of land, or who run a community woodland and who may be overlooked. Through Sylva Foundation we can reach these individuals who collectively make up a significant population of stakeholders in woodland management.
We are building a long-term data set to compare responses year-on-year to show what is really changing in British woodlands.
British Woodlands Surveys: completed and in process
| Year | Survey title | Resources |
|---|---|---|
| BWS2012 | Ownership, markets and management | Full report |
| BWS2014 | Ancient woodland and planted ancient woodland sites | Full report |
| BWS2015 | Resilience and environmental change | Full report |
| BWS2017 | Shaping the future of forestry | Full report |
| BWS2020 | Changes over time in environmental awareness | Full report |
| BWS2021 | The future health of oak and attitudes to treatments in development | How to recognise a healthy forest: perspectives from private forest managers in Britain (free to access peer-review paper) |
| BWS2024 | Understanding and Supporting Public Access to Woodlands | Survey live Summer 2024, public report due late 2024/early 2025 |
| BWS2025 | Resilience | In development, launching summer 2025 |
“The insight provided by BWS in recent years has helped the Woodland Trust to understand the motivations and needs of woodland owners and managers. This is critical in allowing us to develop our offers of support to prospective and existing woodland owners. It is also vital as evidence for lobbying and advocacy in support of the woodland sector. The more people participate, the stronger the evidence.”
Mike Townsend, Principal Advisor, Woodland Trust
