The UK Forest Market Report, the UK’s most authoritative resource on forestry investment activity, will be launched later this month in London and Edinburgh.

Now in its 25th year, the review of the UK forestry market examines completed sales of commercial forestry properties over 20 hectares and mixed woodlands over 10 hectares as well as the opportunities and demand for planting land and natural capital, over the last 12 months.

Produced by forest services provider Tilhill and specialist forest and land agency firm Goldcrest Land & Forestry Group, the firms say it is the most comprehensive publicly available record of forestry transactions in the UK.

WANT MORE ON THIS? 

At the launch events, Tilhill and Goldcrest will deliver a detailed analysis of the forestry market performance in 2023.

They will also explore the vital need to use home-grown timber to meet UK demand for construction timber, landscaping materials, and the vast array of wood-related products as well as the parallel urgency to reduce UK timber imports.

Additionally, the forestry experts will examine public attitude to spruce trees, the industry’s commercial crop, and the workhorse of our timber industry, and question why it is considered by many to be undesirable.

Spruce is a commercial crop, as fundamental as potatoes – and arguably more versatile in the scope of what it delivers – but the latter is considerably more respected by the public.

Given the urgent need to grow more UK timber – and meet climate mitigation obligations - how can the industry make spruce trees more acceptable?

Tilhill and Goldcrest experts will be joined by a range of speakers, including specialists in the architectural use of wood, to discuss these and other issues in the forestry sector.

The Edinburgh event takes place on November 22 at The Signet Library, Edinburgh at 11:00 am.