Fewer than 1% of ‘illegal’ tree felling cases in England result in convictions

Forestry Commission response to freedom of information request reveals only 15 convictions in a decade under its regime

Fewer than 1% of alleged illegal tree felling cases reported to the Forestry Commission have ended in a successful prosecution over the past 10 years in England.

The Forestry Commission received 4,002 reports of trees being destroyed without a licence from 2012-13 to 2021-22.