Trees and woodland in a cultural landscape: the history of woods in England

The trees of England are deciduous species of genera such as Quercus, Fraxinus, Corylus, Ulmus and Tilia. Native conifers are insignificant. Nearly ail the trees coppice or sucker when felled; this is often their main historic means of reproduction. England is historically a country with very little woodland. Most of the primaeval wildwood was destroyed more than 2000 years ago. The first inventory of land-uses, in 1086 AD, records about 15% of the area of England as woodland; this had fallen to about 6% by 1350. This remaining woodland was a valuable resource, and was managed and conserved down to the 20th century. It then fell into a period of neglect and destruction, from which it has lately been rescued by the efforts of conservationists.