European countries and their forest cover

20 Comments

1. 

   The UK suffers with big land ownership issues which stop forests expanding. Unfortunately the elite in the UK, who are a wealthy minority, own the majority of the land and turn it over to a romanticised ideology of hunting and quaint farming communities. Deer, hare and grouse moorland or shooting estates cover vast areas of uplands and mountainous regions throughout the UK. Given its actual size and percentage of lowland mountains the UK should be nearer 40-50% cover easy. But the whole hunting sect of society are wealthy upper class groups who own vast tracks of mountain ranges and keep them pretty much clear of scrub, montane and forest for agriculture (sheep!) and hunting estates. Whats left is heavily degraded ancient tracts of forest or alien species plantations. At the time of Roman invasion the UK was the most heavily wooded country in known Europe. Now its the least, kept that way to appease the animal hunting rich and their hill and sheep farmers

2. 

   Too many people in many European countries, more fields etc. No forest = no wildlife.

   1. 

      I could not believe that England is so poor in forest.where are the f…trees??I thought people here loved nature but obv they did not.no forest no God

      1. 

         Malta is not a territory

3. 

   Also Azerbaijan and Georgia are classified as European countries in World Map and are members of the Council of Europe and European Nations. European Union started the program of integration of Moldova, Ukraine, Azerbaijan and Georgia to European Union.

4. 

   Where are Azerbaijan and Georgia? Those countries are transcontinental countries, so also part of Europe like Iceland and Russian Federation.

5. 

   Total area of forests and forest land in Croatia amounts to 2, 688. 687 ha which is 47% of its total land area. Not 33% as you shown.

6. 

   Hi there. I really think you need to review your figures about the Iberian Peninsula. Thanks for the work and regards!

7. 

   Would definitely like to see more forest cover in Ireland,.. in particular oak and other deciduous trees,.. not the current coniferous wastelands.

   1. 

      Author

      What forests should be encouraged in Ireland? Mixed deciduous and conifer using uneven-aged systems, such as continuous cover, so that they look beautiful, are productive yet able to be managed flexibly to meet changing needs of society?
      What is the appetite for planting non-native species in Ireland? Given that there are so few native species anyway, it seems to me that with some imagination, Irish forests can be diversified effectively.

      1. 

         Atlantic boreal forests similar to those found on the West Coast of Scotland, England & Wales. Its actually very rare. Google atlantic rain forest or boreal forest

   2. 

      Completely agree with you. These Sitka Spruce plantations leave the soil extremely acidic when they are cut down, nothing else can ever be grown there again! (only with very extensive soil rotation). I can perhaps understand them being planted on the sides of mountains where the soil is very poor and it is difficult for anything else to grow. However, they are being planted in flat cut away bog lands (which could be ploughed,reclaimed,and planted with native deciduous trees!!). I see them all over the country, even very near my house. They seem so lifeless, I never hear any birds chirping near them. Those forests just seem dead. Of the 10% forest cover Ireland does have – only 1% are native woodlands, whereas the rest are conifer plantations from the 20th century!

      So many jobs could be created by the government if they hired people to prep the land for deciduous tree planting!

8. 

   Where is Russia its European country

   1. 

      The part of Russia west of the Urals is part of Europe

   2. 

      well then say me where is europe or what is europe. a continent or a peninsula of asia. puah stupid you. Do you prove to me that europe is a continent? china and germany are in the same continent. stop it.

9. 

   What about Iceland?

   1. 

      Author

      Thanks for your question. Based on the the same published stats that I cite (2010), I calculate that Iceland has a forest cover of less than 1% (0.29% precisely).

      I hope this helps. I’d be interested in why you ask.
      Gabriel

      1. 

         No one ever mentions Iceland, and yet the Southern section of the island was covered with scraggy birch forests when the Norse arrived.
         The Icelanders may be environmental saints today, but their ancestors sure weren’t.

         The lack of trees and hedges (something we do have in abundance in the British Isles) has led to massive erosion and soil degradation.
         The problem is that the trees can’t grow back because of all the sheep, they only return when planted and fenced in or when growing out of the way of grazing sheep.

         Personally I think a few areas of forest should be replanted there. 10% forest cover would hardly be hard for a nation which is almost empty.
         Birches, willows and perhaps some introduced sycamore perhaps.

10. 

    Gabriel – I expect you know a fair bit about how other European countries organise their forestry and in the fallout from the Government sell off it would be particularly interesting to pick out salient features. In particular, I’ve always seen Scotland aligned in geography & demography to Scandinavia – so it may be fair to draw comparisons with Sweden, for example. England, however, is quite different – 2nd only in population to Holland, where Staatsbosbeheer,originally the Dutch FC, is now a combined Forest & Wildlife service managin both National forests and nature reserves primarily for public benefit.

    1. 

       Author

       Thanks Rod – an interesting view which as you say would be good to follow up. I will post something on this soon.
       Gabriel