Guidance

Christmas trees and forestry regulations

Updated 31 October 2025

Applies to England

This guidance is for individuals, companies or estates who grow, or intend to grow, Christmas trees in England for commercial purposes.

The Christmas tree industry makes a significant contribution to the UK economy. Between 6 and 8 million trees are sold each year, supporting around 300 growers across the country.

Christmas trees are typically grown in high-density plantations on an 8 to 12-year rotation. The most common species grown in the UK are Nordmann fir and Norway spruce, which together make up about 90% of the market. 

Why Christmas trees follow forestry regulations

For forestry regulations, Christmas tree plantations are treated as woodland because they have similar environmental impacts to forests, even though they’re grown and managed more like agricultural crops.

This means Christmas trees follow the same regulations as other trees and woodlands.

This guidance contains information on:

• when you need a felling licence to harvest your trees
• when you need to consider an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)
• plant health requirements to prevent the spread of pests and diseases

Christmas tree management and the UK Forestry Standard

The UK Forestry Standard (UKFS) is government policy which sets out the technical standard for sustainable forest management across the UK. It is the benchmark of good forestry practice and how to manage a woodland well. UKFS (page 3) states that the standard should not be applied to the management of Christmas trees in most cases.

The UKFS recognises that Christmas tree cultivation needs specific management techniques that may not be consistent with the good practice requirements for other forestry and woodland types.

However, this may not apply if:

• your Christmas tree plantation has been abandoned
• trees have been allowed to mature to form more typical coniferous woodland cover
• you are converting your plantation to permanent woodland

Although Christmas tree management is excluded from UKFS, it explicitly states that these plantations are subject to Environmental Impact Assessment regulations for forestry projects.

Check if you need a felling licence to harvest Christmas trees

You need a felling licence to cut down any ‘growing tree’ in England. Christmas tree plantations grow a range of species that meet the definition of a growing tree and therefore are subject to felling licences, unless an exemption applies.

For the full list of exemptions, see Tree felling: getting permission (section 2). If you claim any of these exceptions, you need to prove that they apply.

Keep records, including photos, maps, surveys and permissions from relevant authorities. These records help support your claim if the Forestry Commission asks for evidence. If you cannot produce records to prove your claim, you may be liable to prosecution.

Common exemptions for Christmas tree growers

Trees of small diameter

You do not need a felling licence if your trees have an over bark diameter of 8cm or less measured at 1.3m above ground level.

To reach this diameter at 1.3m off the ground, most Christmas tree species would have to exceed 3m (10ft) in height. Since there’s minimal market demand for trees over 3 metres, most Christmas tree harvesting doesn’t need a licence.

Large trees and/or overstood parts of the plantation may still require a licence.

Calendar quarter allowance 

For trees over 8cm in diameter, you can fell up to 5 cubic metres without a licence within any of the following calendar quarters:

• 1 January to 31 March
• 1 April to 30 June
• 1 July to 30 September
• 1 October to 31 December

The Timber Volume Calculator can help you estimate the volume of timber you wish to fell.

However, you can only sell 2 cubic metres per calendar quarter. See Tree felling: getting permission (section 2.1) for further information.

Combining exemptions

You can use multiple exemptions together to increase the number of trees you can fell without a licence.

For example, most of your Christmas tree crop may fall under the small diameter exemption, with remaining larger trees being able to be harvested under the calendar quarter allowance.

Restocking conditions

If you harvest your Christmas trees under an exemption and no other forestry regulations (such as the Environmental Impact Assessment) apply, you will not be required to restock.

If you require a felling licence, it might include conditions to restock trees on the same area. As UKFS does not extend to the management of Christmas tree plantations, the restocking conditions do not need to meet UKFS compliance (unless you are converting to a more typical type of woodland cover).

You can discuss proposed restocking conditions with your local Woodland Officer before your licence is issued.

For further information on the different felling and restocking types, see Definitions of felling and restocking options.

How to apply for a licence

Read our full guidance on how to apply online for a felling licence.

Penalties for felling without a licence

Felling trees without a licence is an offence when one is required under the Forestry Act 1967.

Everyone involved in illegal tree felling can be prosecuted if:

• there is no licence or other valid permission
• the wrong trees are cut down

All parties are responsible to check permission before work starts. This includes tree owners, agents acting on behalf of owners, timber merchants and contractors. Find out about more about penalties for unauthorised tree felling. We take a proportionate approach to enforcement, as per the Regulator’s Code and the Forestry Commission’s Enforcement Policy.

Check if you need Environmental Impact Assessment consent

EIAs provide a way to understand if a project is likely to cause environmental harm.

Routine Christmas tree management (harvesting and replanting on the same area) does not fall in scope of the EIA regulations. But you may need stage 2 EIA consent from the Forestry Commission if you are:

• planting a new Christmas tree stand (afforestation)
• permanently removing a Christmas tree stand (deforestation)
• constructing forest roads or quarries in your Christmas tree plantation

Assessing if your project needs consent

You will only need stage 2 EIA consent if your project is likely to have a significant effect on the environment (meaning it may cause environmental harm).

If you are certain that your project won’t have a significant effect on the environment, you don’t need to submit any EIA application.

If you are uncertain, you can voluntarily submit a stage 1 EIA application for the Forestry Commission’s opinion on whether your project needs consent. This is optional but can provide clarity before you proceed.

How to enquire and apply

For further information on the process for submitting an EIA application, see Environmental Impact Assessments for woodland.

Penalties for proceeding without required consent

The Forestry Commission can serve an enforcement notice when a project:

• that would have required consent is carried out without consent
• that had consent is carried out in a way that breaches a condition of that consent

We can serve enforcement notices requiring you to:

• stop work immediately
• restore the land to its previous condition
• carry out environmental remediation work
• apply for EIA consent retrospectively

We take a proportionate approach to enforcement, as per the Regulator’s Code and the Forestry Commission’s Enforcement Policy.

Plant health legislation for Christmas tree growers

Plant health regulations protect against tree pests and diseases through restrictions on forestry operations. The Forestry Commission can introduce controls under plant health legislation when threats are identified.

Restrictions can cover a range of forestry operations, from the work you do at your site (planting, harvesting, stacking and processing timber) to the way you move your wood products across the country.

Ips typographus

The eight-toothed spruce bark beetle is considered a serious pest on spruce and has the potential to affect Christmas tree plantations where spruce species are present.

In 2024, the Forestry Commission instated the Plant Health (Ips typographus) (Demarcated Area No. 7) Notice to demarcate an area around the confirmed outbreak sites. The notice restricts the following within the Ips demarcated area:

• the planting of spruce trees
• the felling, stacking, movement and processing of spruce material
• methods of forestry operations

Under the notice, there is a stated exception for growing spruce Christmas trees.

Spruce Christmas trees under the notice

For spruce Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more, precautions are in place in the Ips typographus demarcated area in South East England and East Anglia. This applies to any spruce trees grown in the ground or in pots before being sold.

Felling and movement of spruce Christmas trees that are 3m in height or more originating from the Ips typographus demarcated area must be authorised. These trees may be subject to inspection before felling and movement, and their movement must adhere to conditions set out in the authorisation letter.

Requesting authorisation

You can request authorisation for approval to grow, harvest and move spruce Christmas trees over 3 metres in the Ips typographus demarcated area by contacting the Forestry Commission Plant Health Forestry team.

Contact: ipstypographus.authorisation@forestrycommission.gov.uk

For further information on the restrictions and how to apply for authorisation, see:

• Apply for authorisation to plant spruce within the demarcated area
• Apply for Ips typographus authorisation to fell and process spruce trees

Plant passports

You need a UK plant passport to move certain plants, seeds and wood products within Great Britain (England, Scotland and Wales), the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. This includes wood and wood products (including bark and foliage) from conifer species.

When you need a plant passport for Christmas trees

You need a plant passport for cut Christmas trees over 3m in height (with or without roots) and foliage sourced from trees over 3 metres in height for these species:

• abies (fir)
• larix (larch)
• picea (spruce)
• pinus (pine)
• pseudotsuga (Douglas fir)

Special conditions for spruce trees in the Ips typographus demarcated area

Plant passports must not be used when moving spruce material with bark that originates in the area demarcated for Ips typographus. All other non-spruce conifer species with bark originating in the Ips typographus demarcated area must be moved with a plant passport.

For further information, see Plants and wood that need a plant passport for movement within Great Britain.

How to get registered to use plant passports

If you want to move regulated wood, wood products and bark within Great Britain, you must be registered with the Forestry Commission as a professional operator.

For further information on how to register, see Register as a professional operator to trade in wood, issue plant passports and apply ISPM15 marking.

Related guidance 

Tree felling

• Tree felling: overview
• Tree felling: getting permission
• Apply online for a felling licence

Environmental Impact Assessments

• Environmental Impact Assessments for woodland

Plant health

• Plant Health (Ips typographus) (Demarcated Area No. 7) Notice
• Apply for Ips typographus authorisation to fell and process spruce trees
• Apply for authorisation to plant spruce within the demarcated area

For more information on the Forestry Commission’s definition of trees and woodland, see Definition of trees and woodland.

If you have any further questions or concerns about managing your Christmas trees, speak to your local Woodland Officer. They can help you understand the rules and regulations and provide advice on your individual circumstances.