National Forest Inventory Wales 2023: Woodland Map and Forest Types

A geospatial dataset mapping all forest and woodland areas in Wales over 0.5 hectares with a minimum of 20% canopy cover or potential. The map is updated annually using Sentinel 2 satellite imagery, aerial photography, and planting records, and classifies areas into 16 interpreted forest types and 11 open area types. It was produced by the Forestry Commission with copyright attributed to 2024.

Use Cases

• Land cover change detection based on annual updates and satellite imagery.
• Forest type classification analysis based on the 16 interpreted forest type (IFT) categories.
• Spatial analysis of woodland fragmentation based on the 20-meter minimum width rule and excluded infrastructure.
• Habitat and biodiversity modeling based on the distinction between woodland, open areas, and small woodland features.

Strengths

• Annual updates ensure temporal relevance for change tracking.
• Clear, rule-based spatial inclusion criteria (e.g., >0.5 hectares, >20% canopy cover).
• Uses multiple authoritative data sources including Sentinel 2 imagery and Ordnance Survey MasterMap.

Limitations

• Row count, file formats, and column-level documentation are unknown.
• Woodland areas under 0.5 hectares are excluded from the main map and handled separately.
• Last update date is unknown; freshness unverified.

Provenance

Source

Forestry Commission via Government Digital Service and eu_open_data.

Collection Method

Interpretation of Sentinel 2 satellite imagery and aerial orthophotography, combined with grant scheme and sub-compartment database records.

Time Range

Primary assessment uses imagery from spring/summer 2023 and planting data from financial year 2022/2023.

Freshness

Updated annually.

Geography

Wales, United Kingdom, with handling for areas crossing country borders.