Category Archives: Forests
Defra updates Chalara policies
Defra updates Chalara policies With spring finally approaching, the threat of Chalara to ash across the UK is greater than ever. As mentioned in a previous post, the fungus that causes the disease lies dormant over winter, and sporulates in the … Continue reading
Assessing the impacts of ash dieback
Spring is almost upon us, and early signs of budburst mean that trees will soon be in leaf. Warmer temperatures and leafing trees will both have implications for ash dieback, the disease found last year in ash trees in the … Continue reading
Climate Change, Agriculture and Forestry in the Pacific
Contributions are invited to a consultation from PACE-Net (the Pacific Europe NETWORK for Science and Technology) on a draft white paper on climate change, agriculture and forestry in the Pacific region. PACE encompasses the 15 member countries of the Africa … Continue reading
Forest estate in England to remain in public ownership
For the past two years, the future of England’s forest estate has been uncertain. Proposals to sell-off large areas of forest in early 2011 were quickly withdrawn, but not replaced by reassuring policies. The publication of the Government’s response to … Continue reading
Ash Dieback: Control Plan and Interim Task Force report published
A new strategy to tackle Ash dieback has been published today alongside the Tree and Plant Health Task Force’s interim report. Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced today. The Chalara Control Plan sets out the Government’s objectives for tackling the disease … Continue reading
Tackling Tree Disease in the UK
It isn’t simply Ash Dieback that’s threatening the forests and woodlands of the UK. A plethora of pests and pathogens are on the horizon, with the numbers of diseases afflicting our trees having increased markedly over the past twenty years. … Continue reading
Is this 'Bird Armageddon'?
Since 1966 UK bird population has decline by 44 million which amounts to just under a million birds a year (over 45 years), which is dismal November news indeed. Yesterday the RSPB published their most extensive survey of the UK’s … Continue reading
Ash update a positive spin
It was no surprise to the scientific community when Secretary of State Owen Paterson announced on Friday that “It will not be possible to eradicate ash dieback” but members of the public and tree enthusiasts may well be shocked at … Continue reading
Importation of Ash trees is now banned in the UK
The subject of tree health within the UK is now gaining a heightened media profile and increased governmental attention, but is it too late for our beloved woodlands? The Ash tree ban has captured the nation’s attention and a segment … Continue reading
The partners in crime that could solve the case…
One of the strongest ecological structuring forces the world has ever known, that has influenced the genetic make-up of every organism on earth, is that of the partnership between parasite and host. The term parasite may evoke images of tapeworms … Continue reading