Guidance

The UK Forestry Standard

This guidance sets out the UK governments' approach to sustainable forestry, including standards and requirements, regulations and monitoring, and reporting.

From:
Forestry Commission
Published
21 December 2017
Last updated
13 October 20242023 — See all updates

Documents

The UK Forestry Standard 4th edition (2017)

Ref: ISBN 978-0-85538-999-4

PDF, 31 MB, 232 pages

The UK Forestry Standard 5th edition

Ref: ISBN 978-1-83915-021-0

PDF, 3.15 MB, 139 pages

Details

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is the technical standard for sustainable forest management across the UK, and applies to all woodland, regardless of who owns or manages it.

The UK Forestry Standard 5th editionEdition, was published on 3 Oct 2023 following the completion of an extensive review process. ReadYou can find further information on the review process, including consultation responses aton the Scottish Forestry UK Forestry Standard. web page.

YouA can12 readmonth transition period is now in place to allow guidance to be updated, users to become familiar with the previousnew UKedition, and draft woodland plans to be finalised.

Updated Good Forestry StandardPractice 4thRequirements editionwill be applied to existing woodland plans at the time of their renewal. The National5th Archives.

Purposeedition ofwill be applied after 1 October 2024. Until then, the UKFS4th edition (2017) should be used (UK Forestry Standard).

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is basedthe onreference standard for sustainable forest management criteriaacross agreedthe internationallyUK, and implementedapplies into aall waywoodland, thatregardless isof appropriatewho toowns theor UK.manages Itit.

The isstandard intendedensures tothat beinternational usedagreements byand professionalconventions foresterson areas such as sustainable forest owners,management, managersclimate andchange, practitioners,biodiversity regulators and advisers.the Itprotection will also be of interestwater toresources otherare landapplied managersin andthe stakeholders.UK.

The UKFS outlines the context for forestry in the UK. It definessets out the approach of the UK governments to sustainable forest management by defining requirements and providesguidelines, and providing a basis for regulation and monitoring,monitoring - including national and international reporting.

TheThis UKFSdocument covers importantkey different elements of sustainable forest management, including:management:

  • biodiversity
  • climate change
  • historic environment
  • landscape
  • people
  • soil
  • water

Implementing the UKFS

The mainForestry bodiesCommission responsiblein forEngland regulating,and monitoringScotland, andNatural implementingResources Wales and the UKFSNorthern are:

  • TheIreland ForestryForest CommissionService (England)
  • Scottishare Forestry
  • Naturalthe Resourcesmain Wales
  • Northernbodies Irelandresponsible Forestfor Service

implementing the UKFS. These bodies assess forestry proposals against the UKFS before giving approval,approval and carry out checks to ensure woodland owners and managers comply with forestry regulations. ArrangementsThe precise arrangements for implementing and monitoring the standard will vary between the 4four countries.

Updates to this page

Published 21 December 2017
Last updated 13 October 20242023 + show all updates

  1. The 4th edition has been removed and a link to this added to The National Archives website.

  2. Addition of the UK Forestry Standard 5th edition.

  3. Additional information on the review process for the current UKFS.

  4. First published.

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