Trees outside woods

Abstract

Woodland cover (woods ≥ 2.0 ha) in England has been measured by the Forestry Commission (2001) as being 1.02 million ha. However, many trees do not grow in woodland, but are found singly, in hedgerows and in parks and gardens, or as small groves in an agricultural landscape. These trees form a forgotten resource that has never been accurately counted and is often undervalued. In this report we review published information on trees outside woods (TOWs), their quantification and their role in the landscape. We present a summary of findings from an analysis of the TOWs resource carried out in three areas of lowland England.