The UK Forestry Jobs Newsletter shares the best curated forestry jobs in the UK, from tree planting to director level.
2025 was technically a record year for UK forestry land sales with £261m worth of plantation changing hands, more than in any previous year of open-market sales, across 11,300 stocked or plantable hectares. This was more than double 2024's total, according to John Clegg & Co.'s annual Forest Market Review. But that headline number hides something less rosy: just three sales: the Griffin Forest Complex in Perthshire plus the Caledonian and Irish Portfolio accounted for more than half of that area. Strip them out and the story flips: average asking prices fell 12% to £12,000/ha, and the remaining £93m traded is actually below the five-year average.
For forestry businesses, this matters because it's a reminder that headline market figures can hide a genuinely tougher trading environment underneath. Away from a handful of blockbuster estates, sales are taking longer (only 45% complete within six months, a third take over a year) and around a third of forests are selling below their guide price.
The Scottish Land Commission puts it more bluntly, describing the 2025 land market as "slow, static and subdued," with investor confidence dented by low timber prices, rising costs and planting-approval delays. [landcommission.gov]
Quality Still Sells
It's not all bad news, though. Well-located, mature spruce plantations in the right spot can still fetch £40,000/ha, more than double what less desirable plots nearby might manage. That split between the best and the rest looks set to define the market for a while yet - less a rising tide lifting all forests, more about location, quality and patience separating the winners from the rest. [fwi.co]
Stay sharp out there, and here's to picking the right patch of ground.
Jack
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🔦 Jobs Spotlight 🔦
In this section, we highlight standout opportunities each week, including selected sponsored listings.
What?: Forestry Project Lead
Where?: North Wales
How Much?: £34,434–£39,862 per annum
What?: Senior Forest Manager
Where?: Hormorsden, Kent
How Much?: £Competitive + benefits
Forestry Fact Corner…
🌲 The UK's forests and woodlands now carry a combined natural capital value of £109.2 billion as of March 2026 that’s up from £88.3 billion just two years earlier.
Interested in featuring a sponsored job listing in this newsletter? Email us at [email protected].