Planting Statistics: New tree planting figures are “failing future generations”

Planting rates fell across the UK, with a total of just 13,480 hectares (ha) of new woodland planted in the year to 31 March - a drop from 15,690 ha in 2024-25, and less than half of the UK annual target of 30,000 ha.

Stuart Goodall, Chief Executive of forestry and wood trade body Confor, said: “This year’s planting figures are incredibly disappointing and have to serve as a wake-up call to every government across the UK. Planting figures are down in every country and have dropped around a third from the high of 20,000 ha in 2023/24.

“The UK aspiration of 30,000 hectares has been missed by miles - despite acknowledgment by politicians of all parties that a rapid increase in woodland creation is vital to meet policy goals for climate change, rural economic growth, green jobs and new housebuilding.

“By missing the targets, we are failing future generations - these figures will not help deliver timber security and will not provide the jobs, new homes, and economic growth our population needs.”

Mr Goodall added: “Given that woodland creation is a key plank of every country’s net zero targets, these figures show that we’re on track for failure against a backdrop of red weather warnings and record-breaking temperatures.

“Looking at the importance of timber production to the UK’s future national security, the figures are even more stark - only 5,000 ha of productive conifers planted across the UK. This must be set against a continuing decline in conifer area due to government standards and policies.

“The latest softwood production forecast sets out in stark terms that we face a future of reduced wood supply in the decades to come and the time to act on that is now.”

In Scotland, just 7,220 ha of new woodland was created in the year to 31 March 2026 - down from 8,470 hectares in 2024/25 and a sharp fall from a modern peak of 15,040 ha in 2023/24.

Confor’s National Manager for Scotland Richard Hunter said: “The planting figures for Scotland are disappointing overall, but not unexpected - due to very specific barriers which are putting off investors and making it very challenging for the industry.”

Woodland creation in England was down from 5,770 ha in 2024/25 to 5,250 ha. Productive conifer planting also dipped slightly to 670 ha over the same period - less than 13% of the total, despite the Forestry Commission's commitment to push productive conifer planting up to one-third of total new woodland creation.

National Manager for England John Bruce said: “These figures are very poor, and hugely disappointing, after good progress last year - and are not the direction of travel we need to increase our timber security.”

In Wales, just 680 ha of new woodland was created in the year to 31 March 2026 - against an annual target of 6,000 ha. In Northern Ireland, 330 ha were planted.

Elaine Heckley MICFor, National Manager for Wales at Confor, said: “This is a dismal failure, when all the evidence shows that we need to plant many more trees to create green jobs, build sustainable homes and support our climate change ambitions.”

Confor is proactively working with all administrations to accelerate woodland creation delivery across the UK. These figures highlight the need to move the discussion into positive action as soon as possible otherwise there is no chance we will meet climate change targets, and we will find it impossible to maintain economic growth and essential jobs in the sector.