Beech bark disease is considered to be the most serious disease affecting British beech, although its severity varies geographically and temporally. Early records indicate that the disease was first observed at least 150 years ago, but must certainly have been affecting trees from a much earlier date. The insect and fungus both occur over much […]
This revised edition (September 2002) replaces the previous 2 editions published in 1998 and 2001.
Interim information – Tree death in poplar plantations – published in November 2005 is also available to download from this page.
The insect Dendroctonus micans, a bark beetle that is found in North West Europe, has for long been held, by forest entomologists, to constitute a potential threat to coniferous plantations in Great Britain, although it is not yet established here. Accordingly, in June 1964, Mr D. Bevan, the Commission’s senior forest entomologist, and Mr J.M.B. […]
The great spruce bark beetle is found in forests throughout continental Europe. It damages spruce trees by tunnelling into the bark of the living trees to lay its eggs under the bark. The developing larvae feed on the inner woody layers, which weakens, and in some cases may kill, the tree. The beetle was first […]
The oak processionary moth is a serious forestry pest that is capable of causing complete defoliation of oak trees. Its caterpillars are also a hazard to health. Breeding populations of the moth were discovered for the first time in the UK in London in 2006 and these initial infestations have since spread and the moth […]
The pine weevil Hylobius abietis is a common cause of mortality in young conifers used to restock forest sites after clearfelling. This Practice Note looks at minimising the use of insecticides for the control of pine weevils by adopting an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach.
Invasive rhododendron presents a unique problem to the managers of any habitats it colonises. If left untreated, this aggressive weed can rapidly occupy the entire understorey of a range of woodland types, open spaces within woodlands and heathland habitats. This Practice Guide provides guidance on managing and controlling rhododendron in invaded habitats, including information on […]
A study was initiated in 2002 to examine the fungal pathology of birch dieback in Scotland. The main objectives of this project are to investigate the fungi infecting birch shoots in Scotland, identify the primary pathogens with the ability to infect healthy trees, determine the impact of these fungi on the national woodland resource, and […]
Rhododendron ponticum is an evergreen shrub which forms dense thickets up to 5 metres in height. The large purple blooms appear in spring and are an attractive sight which has become commonplace especially on forested slopes in the west of the British Isles. Foresters are familiar with it as a most intractable weed, indeed control […]
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