From 2001 to 2015, this dataset tracks the percentage of UK woodland area certified as sustainably managed against environmental standards. It is part of a suite of 24 UK biodiversity indicators published by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee on behalf of Defra. The data collection began regularly in 2004, with certification starting in 1996.
Use Cases
- Tracking trends in sustainable forestry adoption based on the reported percentage of certified woodland area.
- Assessing the impact of certification schemes on biodiversity based on the indicator's focus on habitat protection.
- Evaluating policy effectiveness over time using the three-year average short-term assessment method described.
- Benchmarking UK forestry sustainability performance against international standards referenced in the certification process.
Strengths
- Part of a formal suite of 24 UK biodiversity indicators published by a government body (JNCC/Defra).
- Provides a consistent time series from 2001 to 2015, with regular data collection from 2004.
- Uses a defined methodology involving certificate area reports and detailed assessments of selected holders.
Limitations
- Last updated 2026-07-08 13:31:52.460868; freshness should be verified.
- Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
- The latest data point is from 2015, which may limit contemporary analysis.
Provenance
- Source
- Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) on behalf of Defra.
- Collection Method
- Derived from areas reported on sustainability certificates and more detailed assessment of selected certificate holders.
- Time Range
- 2001-2015
- Freshness
- The underlying data is from 2015, though the record itself was updated in 2026.
- Geography
- United Kingdom