Ash trees at dawn in Cumbria

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In: ash, disease, environment, science, tree health, trees

As the spread of ash dieback across Britain becomes noticeable, there is a peak in interest about the consequences of ash dieback, with landowners and conservationists seeking good advice about what tree species is best to plant to help nature recover. Here’s a simply summary for landowners, based of peer-reviewed research.Continue Reading

Ash trees at dawn in Cumbria

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In: science, ash, disease, ecology, environment, plants, silvology, tree health

One of my more recent co-authored research articles has been selected as ‘Editor’s Choice’ in The Applied Ecologist’s Blog . The paper, Maintaining ecosystem properties after loss of ash in Great Britain by Louise Hill et al, focusses on the importance of using plant functional traits to predict potential changes to an ecosystem, following the loss of a key species.Continue Reading

Young birch tree in a treeshelter

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In: ash, beech, black poplar, elm, forestry, history, horse chestnut, oak, sweet chestnut, walnut

There are 60 or more trees in Britain that are native, meaning tree species, subspecies or hybrids that have established themselves without the hand of man. Yet only 35 are widespread meaning that the palette is actually quite limited, particularly when the full range of benefits from woodlands are considered, together with threats from environmental change.Continue Reading