How private are Europe’s private forests? A comparative property rights analysis

•The index of property rights expresses the scope of decision making of private forest owners across five rights domains.•Significant variations across Europe in the private forest owners’ freedom of decision making is documented.•The possibility to set management goals and implement management actions differs considerable.•The share of private ownership and the former socio-political background contributes to such variations.•The comparative analysis of property rights is essential for the integration of European forest and environmental policies.