Forest Accounts

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National Accounts, Economic Statistics.
Michael Zörner
+45 24 41 73 66

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Forest Accounts 2023

The forest accounts are accounts for the Danish forests as a natural resource. The accounts comprise the forest land as well as the wood (timber) resource. The forest accounts were first published in 2017, as part of the Green National Accounts for Denmark. In 2021, the accounts have been extended back in time so all data series start in 1990.

Statistical presentation

The forest accounts are an annual account of the Danish forest area and the growing stock in the forests. The accounts contain opening and closing stocks as well as balancing items broken down by region. Concerning the growing stock, the accounts are in physical units (cubic meters) as well as monetary units (DKK) and are published with a division into broadleaves and conifers, whereas the forest area is accounted only in physical units (square km). The accounts are published in the StatBank as well as in general publications from the Green National Accounts for Denmark.

Statistical processing

The forest accounts are produced separately for forest area and for growing stock. The accounts for the forest area are obtained almost directly from the Danish reporting on land cover under the Kyoto Protocol. For the physical growing stock accounts, several sources are matched and harmonized in order to compile complete and consistent accounts. From the physical growing stock accounts, the monetary accounts (in DKK) are calculated through a valuation model based on estimated prices.

Relevance

The forest accounts are of relevance for administrative bodies, researchers, NGOs, businesses, the educational sector and individuals - all with interests in forest, natural resources, interactions between environment and economy, natural capital, sustainability etc. In the context of the United Nations and other international organizations, there is a large focus on green national accounts.

Accuracy and reliability

The forest accounts are reliable estimates of the physical size of the resources, as well as the change in these over a number of years. Smaller variations from one year to the next may however reflect uncertainties rather than real changes. Especially for the monetary valuation of the growing stock (in DKK) there is significant uncertainty, both concerning the estimated prices as well as inherent in the method used which is based on a number of assumptions. The estimate for the value of the growing stock should therefore be considered a provisional estimate of the order of magnitude.

Timeliness and punctuality

The forest accounts are normally published 18 months after the reference period ends. The accounts have always been published at the preannounced date.

Comparability

The forest accounts are compiled according to the guidelines for asset accounts for natural resources from the UN statistical standard 'System of Environmental-Economic Accounting'. This ensures a high degree of comparability with the same type of accounts from other countries using this standard. The forest accounts are fully comparable across the published time series.

Accessibility and clarity

The forest accounts are available in their most detailed form through the StatBank. General results are communicated through Statistics Denmark's various publications covering the Green National Accounts for Denmark. See also the topic page Natural resource accounts.