Observatree is a project that aims to protect the UK’s precious trees from new pests and diseases – either arriving or spreading across the country. Working closely with experts in Forest Research and other government agencies, its team of volunteer Tree Health Surveyors are on...
On Wednesday 30th October, I joined nine Observatree volunteers at Forest Research's Northern Research Station, south of Edinburgh, for a sharing and mentoring day. Charlotte Armitage, who manages this volunteer role, set up the event with Hugh Clayden from Scottish Forestry, April Armstrong and Katy Dainton...
Hannah Humphreys, a volunteer with us until recently, tells her story of how volunteering with the Trust helped give her a start to her career as an ecologist: Over summer I was lucky enough to be successful in acquiring a 3-month internship with Forestry and Land...
At the beautiful Scottish Wildlife Trust Falls of Clyde Visitor Centre at new Lanark, a large group of new and existing Observatree volunteers gathered together on 20th June for a day immersed in the world of tree pests and diseases. The day was really well...
Volunteers got together on a sunny Saturday morning for an event at the Box Moor Trust centre, near Hemel Hempstead. Hosted in the beautifully renovated Box Moor Trust headquarters, the volunteers from Heartwood Forest and Tring Park enjoyed presentations by Woodland Trust staff. Hannah Burgess,...
Observatree volunteers can now access English Heritage sites, meaning that 380 new locations can be surveyed for signs of tree pests and diseases. The project launched in 2013, with the aim of training volunteers to identify pests and diseases that threatened the UK’s trees and woods. So...
Conifers can be more difficult to identify than broadleaved trees, however they can still be affected by a number of our Observatree priority pests and diseases. We need to be able to identify the tree hosts to aid us in the detection and identification of diseases...
Last year Woodland Trust staff met with The National Trust at Osterley Park. The purpose of the meeting was to begin looking at how we manage the risk of OPM (Oak processionary moth) collectively. Oak processionary moth (Thaumetopoea processionea, OPM) was first accidentally introduced to Britain...
Observatree is about identifying when new tree pests and diseases arrive in the UK as early as possible and also spotting new outbreaks of those that are occasionally found here. This enables a fast response and the greatest chances of eradicating or controlling the outbreak. ...
Tackling the increasing threat to tree health The discovery of Chalara Dieback of Ash in 2012 raised Government and public awareness of threats to plant health from new pests and diseases. This resulted in the development of a Plant Biosecurity Strategy for Great Britain, highlighting activities to improve...