Forest Research

UPDATE: Date of webinar now 24 March.

How research led to policy change: Phytophthora pluvialis restrictions lifted Joan Webber is the Forest Research Principal Pathologist and works on invasive pathogens, including Phytophthora pluvialis. Collaborating with Forest Research and Forestry Commission colleagues, her r...

Following an extensive research programme, the UK Plant Health Risk Group has concluded that P. pluvialis does not meet the criteria for designation as a Quarantine Pest.

🔗 Read the full blog to learn more: forestrycommission.blog.gov.uk/2026/03/04/h...

Webinar: Observing and understanding oak health across the UK - Forest Research An online webinar launching a new, practical oak-health monitoring system for woodland managers and volunteers across the UK.

💻 Scientists are inviting woodland managers to attend a webinar on 17 March to learn how to use a new app that allows users to monitor the health of oak trees and access advice to inform management decisions.

🔗 Book your space here: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/webinar...

📖 A study published by Cell Press, observing oaks growing in a natural woodland found that the trees’ microbiomes were resilient to drought, nutrient scarcity, exposure to pathogenic beetles & bacteria.

More info below ⬇️

Led in part by Sandra Denman, Principal Pathologist at Forest Research.

3rd Annual Women in Science IUFRO Webinar Series In 2026, IUFRO will be celebrating the International Day of Women and Girls in Science with the 3rd annual Women

📅 To mark the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, the International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO) is hosting their 3rd Annual Women in Science webinar series. 🌲✨

🔗 Register online: www.iufro.org/events/3rd-a...

#InternationalDayofWomenandGirlsinScience #WomeninSTEM

Call for forestry and timber businesses to take part in sector wide surveys - Forest Research

❗ Survey reminder 👉 Forestry and timber businesses across the UK are being asked to take part in an annual survey programme.

📧 To take part, contact statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk

Deadline 27 Feb.

🔗 More information: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/call-fo...

New land regeneration resources for creating green spaces on previously used land now available - Forest Research The new resources bring together the latest learnings on land regeneration and climate change, and optimal soil thickness for planting on previously used land.

A new suite of practical resources is available to help planners, practitioners & regulators create woodland & grassland on previously used land.

🔎 Find out more: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/new-lan...

Funded by #Defra Nature for Climate Fund. Developed through @forestrycommission.bsky.social

Expanding Agroforestry An introduction to five exemplar case studies

New case studies show how agroforestry can be practical, adaptable and profitable, helping farms remain productive while supporting nature and climate adaptation.

Find out more: storymaps.arcgis.com/stories/de25...

Funded by the UK Government through Defra’s Nature for Climate Fund programme.

What do you want to see from Trees, People and the Built Environment 6? Take this survey powered by surveymonkey.com. Create your own surveys for free.

We’re looking ahead to the Trees, People and the Built Environment 6 (TPBE6) and we’d love your input.

-Share your appetite for the conference
-Highlight the topics that matter most
-Tell us which real-world scenarios you’d like to see explored

👉 www.surveymonkey.com/r/CX5JHJC

We'd love to hear from:

🪴 E-commerce traders, garden centres, retail nurseries, supermarkets and shops
🌱 Growers and traders of plants, trees and bulbs
🌷 Garden designers, landscapers and gardens open to the public

New national survey launched to strengthen plant pest and disease detection across UK horticulture - Forest Research UK horticulture and landscaping businesses invited to take part in survey to strengthen non-native plant pest and disease detection and reporting.

🌺Take part in an anonymous short survey to strengthen plant pest and disease detection across UK horticulture.

We’re keen to hear from any business involved in buying or selling ornamental plants.

Take part by 16 Feb: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/new-nat...

Great to see the positive response to the 'Wind within the Trees' event. 🌳

@drtomlocatelli.bsky.social and the team hosted forestry advisors and land managers at Queen Elizabeth Forest Park to discuss Continuous Cover Forestry, wind risk & forest resilience.

More to come from this project soon. ⬇️

Call for forestry and timber businesses to take part in sector wide surveys - Forest Research

Interested in taking part?

For more information visit www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/call-fo... or contact statistics@forestresearch.gov.uk

The deadline for completing the surveys is Friday 27 February 2026.

#UKForestry #ForestResearch #TimberSurvey

#Forestry and #timber businesses across the UK are being asked to take part in an annual survey programme to collect data about the UK timber industry.

Results from the surveys are used to understand the state of the timber industry and the balance between supply and demand. ⬇️

🔎✨We are looking for two new Committee members to join the Forestry Commission Expert Committee on Forest Science.

📢 Closing Date: 30th January 2026
🔗 Apply online: ow.ly/6qEG50XTng0

#ForestryCommission #ForestResearch #ECFS

BES Annual Meeting 2025 - British Ecological Society Join ecologists from across the world from 15-18 December at Europe's largest event dedicated to ecology.

This week (15–18 December), Forest Research staff are attending the @britishecologicalsociety.org Annual Meeting in Edinburgh, taking part in a wide range of presentations, workshops and discussions.💚

Find out more: www.britishecologicalsociety.org/content/bes-...

#BES #ForestResearch #Ecology

Seventeen coniferous tree species show early promise for future commercial timber production in the UK - Forest Research

Early results are now published, led by Principal Scientist Dr Ian Willoughby.

🔗 Read more: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/sevente...

Only nine conifer species make up almost all UK commercial forests. Sitka spruce accounts for over half of all timber harvested.

To boost resilience to climate change, Forest Research and partners (Forestry and Land Scotland & Forestry England) planted 17 emerging species over 9 large trial sites.

What effect do ammonia emissions have on surrounding trees and soil? - Forest Research Ammonia absorbing tree-belts lead to ecosystem trade-offs – increased nitrogen and carbon capture but reduced microbe diversity in soil – suggests new research.

🌳Ammonia absorbing tree-belts lead to ecosystem trade-offs – increased nitrogen and carbon capture but reduced microbe diversity in soil – suggests new research. 👇

www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/what-ef...

The research was funded by #DefraGovUK Nature for Climate Fund.

Take part in our firewood industry survey to help protect Scotland’s trees - Forest Research Forest Research are looking for people involved in the harvesting, processing, transport, import, or trade of firewood in Scotland to complete an important survey.

🪵🔥If you're involved in the harvesting, processing, transport, import or trade of firewood in Scotland, please complete our firewood industry survey to help protect Scotland’s trees. 👇

www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/take-pa...

New guidance is available to help local authorities understand the social & cultural values people hold for trees.

Partnership with @thetreecouncil.bsky.social @yorkuniversity.bsky.social
#FeraScience Funded by #DefraGovUK Future Proofing Plant Health Programme.

More info: ow.ly/tMJi50XBIMA

Join our national monitoring project and help expand a network of pheromone traps to improve understanding of the eight-toothed spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus.

👉 Sign up: ow.ly/4uIC50XtyqM

@forestrycommission.bsky.social @sylva.org.uk #DefraGovUK #WoodlandManagement #TreeHealth

New Welsh tree species shortlisting project to help future forest resilience - Forest Research New research to identify a shortlist of productive tree species in Wales has been given the go ahead.

A major new research project is underway to identify a shortlist of productive tree species suited to Wales’ current & future climate.

Commissioned by Welsh Gov, partnership with @woodknowledgewales.bsky.social @bangoruniversity.bsky.social & @edinburghnapier.bsky.social

Details: ow.ly/twfa50XyxBK

How do farmers feel about growing trees? - Forest Research Forest Research says understanding values is key to finding out what motivates farmers to grow trees.

Forest Research, led by social scientist, Dr Stephen McConnachie, interviewed 49 farmers and held two focus groups to understand how their values shape decisions about growing trees on farms.

Funded by Defra's Nature for Climate Fund 🌱

Full detail: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/how-do-...

It’s National Tree Week and to mark the occasion, Forest Research staff are sharing the tree species they love most. 💚

🔎🌳 We’ve also updated our 'Easy Guide to Forest Trees and Their Uses' publication: www.forestresearch.gov.uk/publications...

#NationalTreeWeek @thetreecouncil.bsky.social

Timber Price Indices - Forest Research Timber Statistics which includes Timber Price Indices/Coniferous Standing Sales Price Index

The latest Timber Price Indices for Great Britain has now been published, covering sales up to 30 September 2025.

View the full Timber Price Indices here: ow.ly/i5SC50XtYEp

#ForestResearch #TimberPriceIndices #UKForestry

Tree felling licence: when you need to apply The Forestry Commission controls tree felling by issuing felling licences. Find out when you need to apply.

For more information about stacking authorisation and felling licences, visit www.gov.uk/guidance/tre...

Join our national monitoring project and help expand a GB-wide network of pheromone traps to improve understanding of the eight toothed spruce bark beetle, Ips typographus.

👉 Sign up: ow.ly/TICy50XtxN9

@forestrycommission.bsky.social @sylva.org.uk #DefraGovUK

Chief Scientist, Prof. Bianca Ambrose-Oji, and many FR researchers presented at the Britain’s Forest Future conference running in Durham yesterday and today 🌳📊.

Organised by Defra @uktreescapes.bsky.social and the Centre for Forest Protection

#ForestResearch #UKTreescapes #ForestsFuture

👏 Dr Nadeem W. Shah, Senior Hydrologist at Forest Research, presented at the 6th @iufro.bsky.social International Conference on Forests and Water in a Changing Environment.

Delegates visited the Miyun Reservoir Forest Experiment Station, which was damaged in this summer’s floods.