Forestry England sets out tree species list for the nation’s forests - Forestry England
- 30 priority tree species identified by scientific analysis to future-proof the nation’s forests against climate change and disease
- Species selected for ability to withstand extreme weather, resist pests and diseases and provide commercial timber for decades ahead
- New approach supports wider forest resilience strategy as climate pressures intensify
The nation’s forests, managed by Forestry England, will be made more resilient by planting 30 carefully selected tree species chosen for their ability to survive future climate challenges and disease threats. Forestry England's new tree species for the future list provides a science-based framework to guide tree production and planting decisions across the nation's forests for decades to come.
The list includes familiar and emerging species, each assessed against 10 key criteria including climate suitability, pest resistance and timber potential. This approach addresses the urgent challenge of building forest resilience as the nation’s forests face increasingly extreme weather, climate pressures, and pests and diseases.
Forestry England’s list follows the Future Productive Species list published in September by Scottish Forestry. This set out the 28-strong list of tree species recommended for forestry in Scotland. Forestry England’s tree species work is separate though complementary to the Scottish exercise, and the list has been developed specifically for the 1,500 forests and woodlands in their care.
The final list of 30 species was drawn from a longlist of 63 species and is tailored to Forestry England's six forest districts using local data for regional relevance and national consistency.
Posted On: 04/11/2025
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