Archive:Forestry statistics

Data from September 2008, most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database.

Table 1: Wood production, 1998-2008 (1 000 m³)

This article presents some basic statistics on forestry in the European Union (EU). The EU-27 has approximately 177 million hectares of forests and other wooded land, just over 42 % of its land area, and the area of land devoted to forestry is gradually increasing. About 60 % of wooded land is under private ownership.

Main statistical findings

Graph 1: Roundwood production, EU-27, 1998-2008 (1 000 m³)

Graph 2: Roundwood production and gross value added of the forestry industry, 2005 (1)

Graph 1: Paper and paperboard production per capita, 2007 (1)(tonnes)

Graph 2: Forest trees damaged by defoliation, 2006 (1)(%)

Since 1998, there has been a relatively steady rise in the level of roundwood production in the EU-27, both for coniferous (softwood) and non-coniferous (broadleaved or hardwood) species. The level of EU-27 roundwood production in 2008 was approximately 80 million m3 higher than in 1998, against the backdrop of a steady increase in forest area.

The 419.7 million m3 of roundwood produced within the EU-27 in 2008 was about one tenth less than the relative peak that was recorded in 2007. This peak was due to exceptional windthrow caused by storms in many parts of Europe – notably in Sweden and Germany – after which much more wood had to be removed from forests than planned. Among the Member States, Sweden was the largest producer of roundwood in 2008 (almost 70 million m3), followed by France, Germany and Finland (each producing between 50 million to 60 million m3 of roundwood in 2008).

A further 104.9 million m3 of sawnwood was produced in the EU-27 in 2008, one half of which came from the three largest producing Member States; Germany (22.0 %), Sweden (16.8 %) and Austria (11.4 %). The level of sawnwood production in the EU-27 in 2008 was also about one tenth (9.0 %) lower than in 2007.

There was a strong correlation between the volume of roundwood production and the value added generated by the forestry industry. However, it is worth noting that in France and to a lesser extent Portugal, the value added per cubic metre of roundwood was substantially higher, often more than double, that for the other Member States, likely reflecting the use of oak within the cooperage trade (casks and barrels) of their respective wine and port industries.

The production of paper and paperboard in the EU-27 was about 100 million tonnes in 2008, which was 2.4 % down on the level of the previous year, bucking the relatively steady upward trend in output during the previous nine years. A little less than half of the EU-27’s paper and paperboard production in 2008 came from three Member States; Germany (22.9 %), Finland (13.6 %) and Sweden (12.4 %).

Between one fifth and one quarter of forest and woodland trees across the EU-27 suffered from moderate or worse defoliation in 2006. This share rose to a little over one third of all trees in France and Bulgaria, over 40 % of all trees in Luxembourg, and about half of all trees in the Czech Republic.

Data sources and availability

An Intersecretariat Working Group (IWG) brings together Eurostat, the Timber committee of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE), the Forestry section of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO) to collect and collate forest sector statistics; other Directorates-General of the European Commission are also represented. The primary tool for statistical cooperation is the Eurostat/UNECE/FAO/ITTO Joint forest sector questionnaire (JFSQ), which is used by all organizations; each agency collects data from the countries for which it is responsible. Eurostat is responsible for data from the EU Member States and EFTA countries.

Roundwood production is a synonym for removals; it comprises all quantities of wood removed from forest and other wooded land or other felling sites during a given time period; it is reported in cubic metres underbark (i.e. excluding bark). Sawnwood production is wood that has been produced either by sawing lengthways or by a profile-chipping process and that exceeds 6 mm in thickness; it includes planks, beams, joists, boards, rafters, scantlings, laths, boxboards and lumber, etc., in the following forms: unplaned, planed, and end-jointed etc; it is reported in cubic metres solid volume (m³).

Paper and paperboard is the sum of:

• graphic papers;
• newsprint;
• sanitary and household papers;
• packaging materials;
• other paper and paperboard.

It excludes manufactured paper products such as boxes, cartons, books and magazines, etc.

The degree of defoliation is the extent of visually assessed defoliation of trees and is based on a method developed by the International Cooperative Programme of the Executive Committee for the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution in Europe. Damage is classed on a scale from 0 to 4. No defoliation (class 0) covers up to and including 10 % needle or leaf loss. Slight (warning stage) defoliation (class 1) covers from more than 10 % and up to 25 % needle/leaf loss. Moderate defoliation (class 2) covers more than 25 % and up to 60 % needle/leaf loss. Severe defoliation (class 3) covers more than 60 % and up to 100 % needle/leaf loss. Dead (class 4) covers 100 % defoliation.

Context

Contrary to what is happening in some other parts of the world, forest cover in the EU is slowly increasing. Ecologically, EU forests belong to numerous vegetation zones, ranging from coastal plains to alpine zones, while socio-economic management conditions vary from small family holdings to large estates belonging to vertically integrated enterprises.

In 2006 the Commission underpinned its support for sustainable forest management and the multi-functional role of forests by adopting an EU forest action plan. The action plan provides a framework for forest-related actions and will serve as a coordination instrument between Community actions and the forest policies of the Member States. There are 18 key actions proposed by the Commission to be implemented jointly with the Member States during the period 2007-2011. The Action Plan focuses on four main objectives:

• improving long-term competitiveness;
• improving and protecting the environment;
• contributing to quality of life;
• fostering coordination and communication.

The EU-27 has approximately 177 million hectares of forests and other wooded land, just over 42 % of its land area, and the area of land devoted to forestry is gradually increasing. About 60 % of wooded land is under private ownership.

Further Eurostat information

Publications

• Forestry Statistics – 2007 edition pocketbook

Main tables

• Forestry, see:

Data Navigation Tree

Main tables (new codes.xls)

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Forestry (t_for)

Database

• Forestry, see:

Data Navigation Tree

Database

Agriculture, forestry and fisheries

Forestry (for)

Dedicated section

• Forestry

Other information

• Joint Forest Sector Questionnaire (JFSQ) (Presentation)
• Manual on the Economic Accounts for Agriculture and Forestry EAA/EAF 97 (Rev.1.1)
• The actual JFSQ used

External links

• United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) - UNECE / FAO Timber Section
• Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) - Forestry
• International Tropical Timber Organisation (ITTO)
• European Union Forest Action Plan
• Forest-based sector European Technology Platform

See also

• Agriculture, forestry and fisheries introduced
• Forest-based industries