Native oaks at risk from pests, pathogens and climate change

Britain’s native oak trees are under serious threat from pests, pathogens and climate change, concludes a report in the latest issue of the Quarterly Journal of Forestry, the Royal Forestry Society’s members’ magazine.

In the past, Britain’s oaks have survived and adapted in response to pest and disease attack. However, the increasing numbers of new pests arriving in Britain (including, most recently, the oak processionary moth, Thaumetopoea processionea), coupled with the impact of climate change, are placing even more demands on this iconic tree.

In their article, ‘Oak declines: new definitions and new episodes in Britain’, scientists Sandra Denman and Joan Webber of Forest Research (the UK government’s forestry research organisation) present a detailed review of the main threats to native oaks, and clarify the terms ‘Sudden Oak Death’ (SOD) and ‘Acute Oak Decline’ (AOD), which have recently hit the headlines.

Their six-page article, which appears in the October 2009 issue of the Quarterly Journal of Forestry (QJF), is an authoritative assessment of the current situation, written in a style that is accessible to all – from academic experts to the general public.

Normally available exclusively to RFS members and QJF subscribers, the RFS has decided to make this article available to all interested parties, as a handy PDF. To order a copy, please email a request to rfshq@rfs.org.uk.

The RFS is an educational charity dedicated to the wise management of trees and woodlands, and to increasing people’s understanding of forestry. If you request a copy of ‘Oak declines’, there is no charge – but please consider making a one-off donation (suggested amount: £10). Or why not join us? Individual membership for 12 months costs £48, and there are numerous benefits, including a free subscription to the QJF (worth £84). See membership benefits or join online today.

Further information

* Oak declines: new definitions and new episodes in Britain, by Sandra Denman and Joan Webber . Quarterly Journal of Forestry, October 2009, Vol 103, No. 4, RFS, pp285–290.