The Environmental Targets (Woodland and Trees Outside Woodland) (England) Regulations 2023

Interpretation

2.   In these Regulations—

“the 1967 Act” means the Forestry Act 1967(2);

“the 2021 Act” means the Environment Act 2021;

“energy forestry” means plantations of trees planted solely for the purpose of harvesting as a feedstock for energy production;

“hedgerow” means a boundary line of woody plants more than 20 metres long with mean width of less than 4 metres at the base and (except as regards hedgerow trees) less than 3 metres in height;

“hedgerow trees” means one or more trees that are 3 metres or more in height and are within a hedgerow;

“tree canopy cover” means the area covered by the branches and leaves of a tree viewed from above;

“trees outside woodland” does not include energy forestry and means—

(a)

areas of trees of at least 0.1 hectare which are not woodland and are not hedgerows;

(b)

single trees or groups of trees more than 2 metres in height with an area of less than 0.1 hectares, not including hedgerows;

(c)

hedgerow trees;

“woodland” does not include energy forestry and means an area of trees of at least 0.5 hectares with a minimum width of 20 metres with at least 20% of that area covered in tree canopy cover or which could sustain tree canopy cover and includes—

(a)

areas of integral open space within the boundary of such an area of trees, each of which is less than 0.5 hectares;

(b)

land which is to be restocked pursuant to a felling licence under Part 2 of the 1967 Act.