dataset · Wales

NATIONAL FOREST INVENTORY WOODLAND WALES 2017

Summary The NFI woodland map covers all forest and woodland area over 0.5 hectare with a minimum of 20% canopy cover (or the potential to achieve it) and a minimum width of 20 metres, including areas of new planting, clearfell, windblow and restocked areas. The woodland map excludes all 'tarmac' roads, rivers and powerlines where the gap in the woodland is greater than 20 meters wide. The woodland map is continually updated on an annual basis. The changes in the canopy cover have been identified

Visit source ↗

Source details

Licence: UK Open Government Licence (OGL)

Evidence quality: 44.6

Listed in data.gov.uk public catalogue API on 2026-10-16; relevance/value screened (haiku).

Metadata checked: 2026-10-14T13:20:00.000Z

What's in it

Data offered docs-verified: woodland extent map (forest and woodland polygons) · canopy cover change identification · new planting, clearfell, windblow and restocked areas
Coverage docs-verified: Wales · 2017
Resolution docs-verified: Minimum mapping unit 0.5 ha (0.1 ha for Assumed woodland or Low density areas); minimum woodland width 20 m; minimum 20% canopy cover
Update frequency docs-verified: Annual
Access docs-verified: Free/open; UK Open Government Licence (OGL) v3.0

Useful for

Use cases llm-inferred: Woodland baseline and constraints screening for BNG or habitat assessments in Wales · Woodland context for site selection and route options in Welsh civils or planning schemes · Canopy and woodland change context for catchment runoff or drainage desk studies
Audience llm-inferred: ecologists · planners · GIS analysts · environmental consultants

Limitations

Constraints docs-verified: Woodland under 0.5 ha is not described in the dataset (covered only by a separate sample survey) · Tarmac roads, rivers and powerlines are excluded where the gap is over 20 m · Canopy change identified from 2016 imagery plus 2017/2018 planting data, so it may not reflect current cover

Evidence

Check upstream coverage, uncertainty and licence before use. Station observations are not forecasts or design levels.