In answering the query raised by Metcet20, I gave my opinion based on my experience of the English that I hear around me.

I entered �woods is� into the search engine of the British National Corpus.  It gave 16 solutions.  In my opinion, only one of these appears to use �woods� in a singular sense.

http://bnc.bl.uk/saraWeb.php?qy=woods+is&mysubmit=Go

GXG 3832 CPRW believes Carmel Woods is of national (UK) importance for two reasons.

However, I suggest that this means: �CPRW believes (the place) called Carmel Woods is of national importance�.  This is similar to �CPRW believes (the building) called The Houses of Parliament is of national importance�.

I entered �woods are� into the search engine of the British National Corpus.  It gave 26 solutions.  In my opinion, of these, 15 appear to use �woods� in a plural sense.

http://bnc.bl.uk/saraWeb.php?qy=woods+are&mysubmit=Go

1)      APR 1903 Woods are diminishing in this part of the world.

2)      AS3 1383 But these old self-regenerating woods are full of twisted and gnarled specimens, flaunting delightfully shapely canopies, like trees in a 19th-century Japanese silk painting.

3)      B02 586 In the uplands of the UK, broadleaved woods are fragmented (due largely to past clearance for agriculture) and confined largely to steep valley slopes, to boulder strewn and rocky ground, and to gorges.

4)      B02 719 The increasing stocking density evident in Powys over the last 3 decades also explains the broadleaved woodland regeneration problem and clarifies why such woods are now often grazed to billiard table-like turf when in the more distant past grazing levels must have been low enough to allow regeneration.

5)      B1X 167 But now the woods are falling,

6)      B31 201 Most of the downland woods are west of the Arun gap and, apart from plantations, beech (Fagus sylvatica ) is the dominant tree, although it rarely regenerates, and where no replanting takes place ash (Fraxinus excelsior ) quickly asserts itself.

7)      BNU 2129 Although it was midwinter now, the glade was as freshly green as the birch woods are in early summer.

8)      CAR 233 Woods are rare in Orkney, and this one had proved an attraction.

9)      FP6 2426 I feel like the woods are revolving around me; maybe if I wasn�t still handcuffed to the sergeant, I�d fall over.

10)  FU5 848 in the small hours and for her the woods are rapt with whispering.

11)  G2S 1118 The woods are mainly oak woods, rich in bird-life.

12)  HJ0 12556 Since half of all British woods are in private ownership, the achievement of national policy goals depends, to a large extent, on decisions taken by private landowners.

13)  J3L 114 The woods are the main refuge of birds such as the capercaillie, crested tit and the Scottish crossbill.

14)  K4V 2903 It is even more important now as a recent environmental report said Britain�s woods are disappearing much faster than the Amazon rain forests.

15)  KP6 383 The woods are lovely dark and deep but I have promises to keep and miles to go before I sleep and miles to go before I sleep by Robert Frost, Rob.

I think that these examples give an indication of the common usage of the word �woods� in a plural sense.  No doubt, others will disagree.

Les Douglas

P.S.  My Spellchecker constantly tells me that it is �woods ARE�.