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In Brief: Increasing tree cover on dairy farms in England: The role of farmers’ values

Understanding the range of values held by farmers in relation to trees allows us to learn how, when, and where farmers may embrace having trees on their land. Explicit consideration of these values will better enable those working to design policies, incentives, tools, advice, or other communications to do so in ways which are more […]

Paths to embracing trees on farms: The role of social and cultural values

What leads some farmers to dramatically increase the number of trees on their land? What role do social and cultural values play? And how do values and behaviour interact? Increasing tree cover across England is a key priority for the UK government, driven by the benefits that trees and woodlands offer, such as climate change mitigation […]

Increasing tree cover on dairy farms in England: The role of farmers’ values

This Research Report explores the issues that matter to dairy farmers in England regarding trees and increasing tree cover on farms. It looks beyond financial considerations to explore the other factors which guide and shape farmer attitudes and behaviours in this area. Understanding the range of values held by farmers in relation to trees allows […]

Social and cultural values of treescapes

This research project aimed to improve the representation and understanding of the social and cultural values of treescapes in plant health policy. Existing evidence on the social and cultural values of treescapes by publics tends to be limited in scope, for example to recreation, aesthetics, or health values.

Big-leaf maple, Oregon maple (BLM)

Big-leaf or Oregon maple, as the name suggests, has the largest leaves of any maple, typically 15–30 centimetres across: sometimes larger. It is the largest tree in the genus Acer and has been known to grow to 48 m in its native range, but this is exceptional: usual height range is 15 to 20 m. Big-leaf maple is the only commercially important maple of the Pacific coast region. Its uses include veneer production, musical instruments, interior panelling, and other hardwood products. There has been some interest in growing this species in Britain, but there is little silvicultural knowledge on how to grow it successfully.  It may have a limited role in forest diversification in the wetter areas of western Britain. Big-leaf maple is categorised as a plot-stage species.  These are species that have demonstrated some positive silvicultural characteristics at the specimen-stage and are now subject to further testing and development in a limited number of trial plots.

What is the urban forest?

Kieron Doick

Lodgepole pine (LP)

Lodgepole pine is represented by three subspecies with a broad geographic coverage of around 26 million hectares in Canada and the USA.  They are a relatively fast-growing fire adapted species, and their broad natural distribution offers adaptability to a wide range of ecological and environmental conditions. Lodgepole pine have been widely trialled in Britain, but poor provenance choice resulted in trees with very poor form, that were difficult and costly to manage. In addition, lodgepole pine was widely planted in afforestation schemes on challenging upland peats.  These sites are now recognised as ecologically important, and much cost and effort were and still is being put into removing the trees and restoring the habitat. Add its susceptibility to Dothistroma needle blight, lodgepole pine has somewhat fallen out of favour with foresters and landowners. Improved knowledge on provenance choice and the silvicultural use of this species means it does still have a place in forest diversification. Lodgepole pine is categorised as a Principal tree species. These are species where silvicultural knowledge provides confidence to enable their successful deployment across Britain. The species are either already widely used or are increasing in usage.  They will continue to be important unless affected by a new pest or disease or become adversely affected by climate change.

Meeting Notes – 4th July 2023

Meeting notes from 04/07/2023

Communications Team

Jordan Rydlewski

Emma Hinton

Non-hazardous rapeseed oil spray adjuvants for Rhododendron ponticum shrub control

Non-hazardous rapeseed oil spray adjuvants do not improve the rainfastness or effectiveness of glyphosate for Rhododendron ponticum shrub control.