The National Survey of Native Woodlands in Ireland included the survey of 1,217 woodland sites across all 26 counties of the Republic of Ireland during 2003-2007. Site selection was carried out using the Forest Inventory Planning System 1998 (FIPS) and local knowledge. Surveys comprised the recording of site species lists and information at the site level on topography, management, grazing, natural regeneration, geographical situation, adjacent habitat types, invasive species, dead wood and boundaries. Relevés were recorded in each of the main stand types identified at each site. For each relevé, data were recorded on vascular plant and bryophyte cover abundance, soil type and soil chemistry, notable lichens, stand structure, and natural regeneration. Data were also incorporated from a number of external sources.

This shapefile contains the digitised boundaries of all sites surveyed as part of NSNW 2003-2007, as well as additional sites surveyed by van der Sleesen and Poole (2002) during the pilot study, and by Browne et al. (2000), Fernandez et al. (2005), van der Sleesen (unpublished data), Kelly and Fuller (unpublished data) and Smith (unpublished data) in additional studies, which were incorporated into the results of NSNW 2003-2007. Boundaries of all 1,320 sites reported on in Perrin et al. (2008) are included in this shapefile.