Are your trees in good shape? Become a tree investigator with the OPAL Tree Health Survey
The Open Air Laboratories’ (OPAL) seventh nature survey, Tree Health, is now open.
Spring into action and discover more about our trees by taking part in the OPAL Tree Health survey. OPAL researchers, together with experts from the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and Forest Research, are asking everyone to examine the trees in their local area and keep a special eye out for pests and diseases, particularly those affecting our most loved trees, Oak, Ash and Horse Chestnut.
Survey activities are fun and include identifying trees, measuring their girth and height, examining the trunk, branches and leaves for signs of poor health and recording the presence of pests and diseases.
Dr Linda Davies, Director of OPAL at Imperial College London said: ‘Tree Health is one of the most exciting and important surveys OPAL has developed so far. It is the seventh in our series of nature studies designed for people of all ages and abilities to start exploring and recording local nature. And, whilst learning about local trees and gathering lots of interesting information, local people can also contribute their findings to a national research programme investigating the condition of the nation’s trees and the factors affecting them.’
The OPAL Tree Health survey offers an engaging way of learning about nature while spending quality time outdoors. It will encourage and help participants to understand more about their local trees and their health.
Participants will become skilled in identifying wildlife and in recording biological information. At the same time, they will contribute to the national research programme being carried out by Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission that is investigating the health of Britain’s trees and the spread of pests and diseases.
Joan Webber, principal pathologist at Forest Research, said, ’Input from across Great Britain will help us to develop a comprehensive picture of tree health and contribute to the database of information that we are building’.
Any tree can be surveyed and the information will be useful to researchers. However trees are particularly vulnerable to new threats arriving in the country, so the Tree Health survey also includes a guide to six of the most unwanted pests and diseases which could spell disaster for our forests if they spread across the UK; diseases such as Ash dieback and pests like the Emerald ash borer.
David Slawson of Fera and Chair of the OPAL Tree health Survey team said, ‘People are passionate about trees. They genuinely want to help and the OPAL Tree Health survey will provide them with a great way to get involved. Their contribution could help us to spot any new threats that may have arrived in the country and give us the best chance of eradicating them before they spread’.
Anyone can take part in this national study led by OPAL, a nationwide partnership to inspire communities to discover, enjoy and protect their local environments, funded by a grant from Big Lottery Fund. You can download or request your free survey pack, including tree identification guide, field notebook, field guide and Six Most Unwanted card from the OPAL website.
You can also download the free app from the Apple app store. Find out more information on the OPAL website.
