This dataset provides three ancient forest statistics: i) the first comprehensive French forest statistics (termed Daubrée statistics), ii) the decennial agricultural statistics of 1892, iii) the decennial agricultural statistics of 1929. The three ancient statistics provide information about the French forest area and the annual forest volume harvested at the department administrative level (EU/EC NUTS-3 units) split by legal category of ownership and forest management type. Afforestation rates are provided at NUTS-3 level ( and split by legal category of ownership only in Daubrée statistics). Only in Daubrée statistics, the tree species-specific forest areas are also presented by NUTS-3 level and broken down by legal category of ownership. Finally, the number of private forest owners is indicated by NUTS-3 administrative level in 1929 statistics and in Daubrée statistics. This dataset can be used to understand the past forest dynamics, the impact of past forest policies on French forests, the evolution of major tree biodiversity in France.

This study and PhD project are funded by Institut National de l'Information Géographique et Forestière (IGN). The Laboratory of Forest Inventory and UMR SILVA are supported by grants overseen by the French National Research Agency (ANR) as part of the "Investissements d'Avenir" program (ANR-11-LABX-0002-01, Lab of Excellence ARBRE).