Observatree Volunteer
Update
Friday 13th February 2015
Welcome / Dear all
Welcome to the latest Observatree volunteer update. A special welcome to any new volunteers receiving the update for the first time! This update is filled with lots of useful volunteering information and interesting news stories from the world of tree pests and diseases.
The next few months will be a busy time for the Observatree project. We’ll be launching the project and the new version of Tree Alert on the 2nd March and training events start later that week. Suzy and I are really looking forward to seeing you at the training events and to meeting all of the new volunteer recruits. We’re also planning some networking events for September and I’ll be asking you for some ideas on what to include (more details to follow soon).
It’s going to be exciting year!
Best wishes
Helen
Helen Jones
Engagement Officer, Observatree
0845 2935692
Volunteer News
Reminder of the training dates and venues / Please don’t forget to book onto one of the forthcoming training events if you haven’t done so already.
To book onto a training event, please email me with the following information:
- Which event you would like to attend
- Whether you would be willing to car share
- If so, can you offer a lift or would need a lift from someone else
- Any dietary requirements
- A phone number where we can reach you on the day
Region DateLocation
South East Thurs 5th MarchSissinghurst Estate, Cranbrook, Kent
East England Fri 6th MarchIckworth House, Bury St Edmunds, Norfolk
Greater London Sat 7th MarchAshridge Estate, Berkhamstead, Herts
South West Fri 13th MarchKnightshayes Court, Tiverton, Devon
Wales Sat 14th MarchTredegar House, Newport
Yorks &Humber Wed 18th MarchBeningborough Hall, near York
NW England Thurs 19th MarchLyme Park, Disley, Stockport
West Midlands Fri 27th MarchAttingham Park, Shrewsbury
East Midlands Sat 28th MarchCalke Abbey, Derbyshire
NE England Tues 31st MarchGibside, near Newcastle
Scotland Wed 1st AprilNRS, Roslin, near Edinburgh
Northern Ireland Thurs 30th AprilMinnowburn, Belfast
If you can’t attend you local event / If you can’t attend your local event, you are welcome to attend one in another region. We will cover the cost of your travel and any other costs incurred.
If you can’t attend any of the events / Please do try to attend one of the events if possible because the majority of the training will be used to teach you practical skills of sampling and mapping. If you really cannot attend, we may be able to offer an online/phone training in exceptional circumstances.
Answer to Suzy’s brain teaser
Suzy Sancisi-Frey,
Forest Research / In last month’s update, Suzy (Forest Research tree health advisory team) asked you what had caused the following symptom on a silver birch tree:
And the answer was . . .
Volunteer t-shirts / The Volunteering team has a stock of Woodland Trust volunteer t-shirts. If you would like a t-shirt, please let me know which size you want and the team will post it out to you.
Sizes available - XS, M, L, XL, XXL, XXXL. We will be ordering some size small soon.
Magic Map / A useful website for finding grid references:
If you know or have a good idea of where you conducted a survey, all you need to do is zoom in on the area you visited. The map is extremely detailed and marks boundaries, landmarks and any land designations. The grid reference should be displayed at the bottom of the interactive frame.
Thanks to Kayleigh Lyle, Observatree volunteer in the South West for this useful suggestion. If you try using Magic Map, I’d be really interested to hear what you think.
Pest and disease news
Searching for AOD / Dr Andy Gordon, Observatree and Ancient Tree Hunt volunteer, has written an interesting article on a novel way of spotting Acute Oak Decline (AOD) – infrared light (see attached). Andy has been volunteering at Attingham Park near Shrewsbury to record and monitor trees infected with AOD and the results form part of an on-going study into AOD led by Sandra Denman at Forest Research.
Many thanks to Andy for writing such an interesting and informative article about the work he is carrying out.
Perenniporia samples / In last month’s update, I included a plea from the advisory team at Forest Research asking for samples of the fungus, Perenniporia. To give you a better idea of what you’re looking for, we’ve provided some descriptions below. The advisory team are aware that Perenniporia can be confused with another fungus (Rigidoporus ulmarius) but they are happy to have samples of that as well.
The main characteristic is that the fruiting bodies are brackets at the base of trees which when fresh are yellow and go browner when they age and they are corky.
The following quote attributed to J. Forbes-Laird, Monograph on Perenniporia fraxinea:
"Fruit bodies of P. fraxinea have one unique identifying feature which present at any stage of their development: when cut open, the corky textured flesh is the same creamy fawn colour as the (fresh) exterior. This uniformity of colouration contrasts well with species of the Ganoderma genus and also helps to differentiate P. fraxinea with Rigidoporus ulmarius, another fungus that develops brackets of similar appearance (especially in relation to algal bloom)."
Thanks to Brian Jones, Observatree volunteer in Ross-on-Wye for providing some of this information.
Our race to save Britain's beloved ash trees from the grave / In a silent, wintry wood under snowy skies, Clive Steward’s ash trees are standing grey, slender … and doomed. There are tens of thousands of them here, adorning an ancient stretch of unspoilt land on the edge of the Kent Weald. Stepping from the path, Mr Steward, 54, seizes a twig, bends it back and listens for the dry crack.
“Dead,” he says.
Clive Steward with affected ash saplings on the Hucking Estate in KentPhoto: Eddie Mulholland/The Telegraph
Ash trees have been a cherished feature of the British landscape since their arrival here towards the end of the Ice Age. They are elegant, useful and remarkably tough, but their time may be coming to an end. Last month, the Government admitted that it had failed to halt the advance of ash dieback disease – a fungal infection that destroys the trees’ immune systems.
Read the full article here
Wood-boring beetles / A recently published paper in the Journal of Applied Ecology - Improving the early detection of alien wood-boring beetles in ports and surrounding forests.
Read the paper here
American leaf miner invades Italy / A leafminer that has been invading Italian walnut orchards since 2010, has been shown to be identical to the North American species that feeds on hickories and pecan. The identity of these moths was proved by DNA barcoding and morphological study. Probably the moth invaded the new host plant after it invaded Italy. Further research is needed to establish the origin of import, to follow its invasion of Europe and to find the best sustainable measures to prevent this insect from becoming a pest.
Read the full article here
Novel garden at RHS Chelsea 2015 highlights how sentinel trees are being used to detect global plant pest and disease threats / The garden is called Beyond Our Borders and has been commissioned by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). It shows one way that the UK government is working with overseas botanic gardens to protect our environment against alien pest and diseases.
Iconic British tree species are being used as ‘early warning’ sentinels (soldier or guard) in regions throughout the world to monitor and identify potential new plant pest and diseases that could threaten our natural environment.
In the Fresh Garden section, the eye-catching and innovative display features three different climatic zones (Australasia, Tropical and Arid) divided by water features representing oceans.
Each zone contains a single iconic UK native tree sentinel standing among plants native to each climate. Read the full article here
Woodland Trust News
The Climate Coalition: Show the Love / Watch the Climate Coalition’s video for their ‘For the love of’ climate change campaign for this Valentine’s day. The Woodland Trust is part of it (check out our logo at the end) and it’s a great campaign! See the video here.
An interesting discovery / Rare beetle found at Coed Maesmelin, South Wales
Last week we had a positive recording of the rare blue ground beetle at Coed Maesmelin following a survey funded by Natural resources Wales.
This sighting is the first of its kind in Wales and outside of Dartmoor in Devon, and strongly supports the Ancient Woodland Restoration going on at the site. Any clear felling or planting of conifer trees would have meant that the blue ground beetle would have most likely disappeared from site.
To learn more about this beetle, read the attached information sheet.
European Tree of the Year voting begins /
The voting is open for European Tree of the Year, with our entries taking their place alongside 11 others from across Europe. Just to refresh your memory, England is represented by the Major Oak, Wales by the Lonely Tree of Llanfyllin and Scotland by Lady’s Tree.
Woodland Trust volunteer and 'Tree Hunter' Rob McBride is even visiting all the trees across Europe. Here's his appearance on Estonian TV... (29 mins in)
Please spread the word and encourage friends, family and contacts to vote – the Estonian tree already has over 5,000 votes so we need to catch up! Voting continues until the end of the month.
Wood Wise: natural and cultural heritage /
This issue looks at the importance of irreplaceable landscapes, using trees as historical evidence, balancing natural and cultural heritage during restoration projects, and conflicts between trees and archaeology. To read current and past issues of Wood Wise please just follow this link.
Job opportunities / The following vacancies are being advertised at the Woodland Trust:
- Operations Manager – South East England
- Operations Manager – South West England
- Operations Manager – Central England
- Operations Manager – North England
- Regional Communications & Engagement Officer – South East England
- Commercial Accountant
- Fundraising Events Officer
- Major Gifts and Events Programme Manager
- Digital Project Manager
- Project Lead – Demonstration Programme
- Senior Relationship Development Manager
- Lead Project Officer – Croft Woodlands Project (Homeworker Scotland)
- Marketing Communications Executive
- Learning and Development Officer
- Health & Safety and Environment Manager
- Woodland Site Manager – South West England
- Office Services and Facilities Manager
And finally . . . / Please send in any interesting stories, news articles or photos that I can include in the next update
Thanks
Helen
0845 2935692