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How will the changing environment impact bark-boring insects? Climate change projections indicate more frequent extreme weather events, such as storms, heatwaves, droughts, and floods. One of the likely consequences of this will be an abundance of stressed trees with weakened defences against pests, creating favourable conditions for some species of...

Matching species to site and future conditions Tree species are the basic building blocks that form any forest or woodland. If a species is weakened by the impacts of climate change, this could change the composition of the woodland and affect the organisms that live there. Wise species choices can...

How can careful choice of provenance of planting stock make forests more resilient to the changing climate? Provenance is a forestry term used to describe the location of the stand from which reproductive material (seeds or cuttings) was collected. The choice of provenance of planting stock used to establish new...

How much carbon is there in our woodlands? Forests are a key part of the global carbon cycle. As trees grow, carbon is removed from the atmosphere, so there is much interest in tree planting and woodland expansion to help slow down the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases that is...

Will the impact of damaging forest insects increase? Insects provide many critical ecosystem services, such as pollination, decomposition and pest control. Many beneficial insects appear to be in decline, due to habitat loss, pesticide use and climate change. Only a few insect species have become damaging pests of trees, but...

What are the key risks to our forests and woodland? There are many risks to UK forests, woodlands and trees from climate change trends and extreme weather events. These risks can be managed to reduce the potential impact on our forests and the ecosystem services they provide. This factsheet highlights...

Urban forests can both help reduce climate change and help urban society cope with its impacts.

The changing climate is affecting our trees, forests and woodlands, how they grow and survive and the important ecosystem services they provide. For our forests and woodlands to thrive, adaptation measures must be considered carefully, and action taken. Ten measures to reduce climate risks and improve resilience are presented.

Canker-inducing pathogens kill the inner, living bark of trees resulting in poorer growth or mortality of affected individuals which limits their contribution to climate change mitigation.

Milder and wetter winters, followed by increased spring rainfall, are likely to enhance the survival and infection potential of many tree pathogens. Hotter, drier summers leading to drought stress in trees will also increase their susceptibility to disease and expand the distribution range of some pathogens. The increased incidence and...

The three main fungal root pathogens already present in the UK, causing significant damage in forestry, are described along with the likely impact of climate change on their spread and severity.

The six main foliar pathogens already causing significant damage to conifers and broadleaved tree species in the UK are described along with the likely impact of climate change on their spread and severity.