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.

Documents

The UK Forestry Standard 4th edition (2017)

The UK Forestry Standard 5th edition

Details

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

A 12 month transition period is now in place to allow guidance to be updated, users to become familiar with the new edition, and draft woodland plans to be finalised.

Updated Good Forestry Practice Requirements will be applied to existing woodland plans at the time of their renewal. The 5th edition will be applied after 1 October 2024. Until then, the 4th edition (2017) should be used (UK Forestry Standard).

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

The standard ensures that international agreements and conventions on areas such as sustainable forest management, climate change, biodiversity and the protection of water resources are applied in the UK.

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

This document covers key different elements of sustainable forest management:

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

The Forestry Commission in England and Scotland, Natural Resources Wales and the Northern Ireland Forest Service are the main bodies responsible for implementing the UKFS. These bodies assess forestry proposals against the UKFS before giving approval and carry out checks to ensure woodland owners and managers comply with forestry regulations. The precise arrangements for implementing and monitoring the standard will vary between the four countries.

Published 21 December 2017
Last updated 3 October 2023 + show all updates
  1. Addition of the UK Forestry Standard 5th edition.

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

  3. First published.