Investors who have bought swathes of the UK’s forests have seen the wood asset class outperform most others, providing a rare positive return in the otherwise beleaguered property and land sector.

Funds placed in British forests last year have seen returns outstrip other property assets as well as equities, according to data from the Investment Property Databank, with demand still strong for an investment seen as a safe haven, given its tie with longer-term commodity pricing.