Aim

• The aim of this “tree health learning pathway” is to provide information and guidance to encourage anyone to engage with and get involved with nature, and with trees and tree pests and diseases, in particular

Who is it for?

• This learning pathway is aimed at everyone and caters for all ages and abilities

How does it work?

• Tree health in the learning pathway focuses mainly on harm to trees caused by pests and diseases. Many other factors, such as drought and physical damage can also harm trees.
• The pathway consists of ‘Steps’:
  • “Specialisation” increases from left to right along the pathway; from ‘nature’ to ‘trees’ to ‘tree pests and diseases’
  • “Level of expertise” increases from the bottom to the top of the pathway; from ‘beginner’, to ‘improver’ to ‘experienced’
• All steps on the pathway have equal importance
• If your enthusiasm is captured and you want to learn more, you can move to the next step but if you find a Step that suits you, it’s fine to stay there.  You can make a positive contribution at any step
• For each Step on the pathway, links to relevant activities and guidance are presented in the tables below.
• A 9-minute video explaining the tree health learning pathway appears below.

Getting started

• Start at Step 1. If you already have existing knowledge of nature and trees, then jump in at any Step suitable to your knowledge, including to Step 3(a) if you have existing knowledge of tree pest and diseases
• At any step, connect to the links/resources and simply have a go at anything that interests you

Moving along the pathway

• If you find that you are interested in trees and want to learn more, move to Step 2(a) and then, if you are interested in tree pests and diseases, on to Step 3(a)
• Alternatively, if you find that you are interested in aspects of nature other than trees (e.g. birds, bees, butterflies, mammals, fungi etc.) then an alternative pathway has been provided for you at Step 2(b) and Step 3(b)
• If you get to Step 3(a) or Step 3(b) and want to keep learning, then carry on further
• Also, if you reach Step 3(a) ‘trees’ or Step 3(b) ‘other species’, you are encouraged to apply your skills of identification, recording and reporting to look out for all species

Video Explaining the Learning Pathway

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Step 1: “Get started with Nature“

Task	Resources	Details/Links
Learn about nature, plants, animals and fungi	BBC Springwatch	Ideas, information and resources to help wildlife
	Field Studies Council	Simple easy-to-use identification guides for a wide range of plant, animal and fungal species
	Animal and Plant Health Agency	Izzy the inspector, a fun activity book for children
Start looking at nature in your local area	UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology	Top tips to discover wildlife in your area
	Wildlife Trusts	Visit a local nature reserve to explore
	Podcasts (include trees and many other aspects of nature)	Woodland Walks Trees a Crowd Knepp Wildland Podcast

AFTER STEP 1, you should:

• Know about wildlife sites in your local area
• Be familiar with some of the most common plant, animal and fungal species
• Perhaps have developed an area(s) of special interest

 

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Step 2(a): “Improve your knowledge of trees“
(If you decide that you have a particular interest in trees.)

Task	Resources	Details/Links
Learn to identify different tree species	Woodland Trust	British Tree Identification App
	Field Studies Council	The FSC Tree name trail features 34 of the commonest broadleaved and conifer trees found in Great Britain and Ireland
	Field Studies Council	Tree identification courses
	Podcasts	Completely Arbortrary
Visit and get involved with local woodlands	Woodland Trust	Find a wood to explore
Try a general tree Citizen Science activity	Treezilla	A Citizen Science project to map, measure and monitor trees
	Woodland Trust Ancient Tree Inventory	Help find ancient trees across the country Ancient Tree Inventory

AFTER STEP 2(a), you should:

• Know about woodlands in your local area
• Be able to identify the most common species of tree
• Have participated in a general tree citizen science activity

 

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Step 2(b): “Improve your knowledge of other species“
(If you decide that you have a particular interest in species other than trees.)

Task	Resources	Details/Links
Learn to identify different plant and animal species	Field Studies Council	Simple easy-to-use identification guides for a wide range of plant, animal and fungal species
	iNaturalist	App to identify species from photograph (they have communities of experts to help you too)
	iSpot	App to identify species from photograph (they have communities of experts to help you too)
Visit and get involved with local nature reserves or parks	Wildlife Trusts	Find a local nature reserve to explore
	Parks and Gardens	Find a local park
Try a general tree Citizen Science activity	Woodland Trust Nature’s Calendar	Track the effects of weather and climate change on wildlife near you

AFTER STEP 2(b), you should:

• Know about wildlife sites in your local area
• Be able to identify some of the most common plant, animal and fungal species
• Have participated in a general citizen science activity

 

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STEP 3(a): “Support the tree health surveillance and research communities” & “Learn about tree pests and diseases“

Task	Resources	Details/Links
Get involved with a citizen science activity or project which often provide excellent training	Observatree	A Citizen Science volunteer network helping spot new pest and disease threats to the UK
	Conker Tree Science	A Citizen Science project for everyone to find out about the horse-chestnut leaf-mining moth
	Check a Sweet Chestnut Tree	A Citizen Science project to identify and record local sweet chestnut trees
	Action Oak	A collaborative initiative to protect our oak trees
Check-out specialist information / courses	Forest Research	Tree Pest and disease information sheets
	OPAL Tree Health Survey	Archived information on tree identification, surveying techniques and selected tree pests and diseases
	UK Plant Health Information Portal	Online hub for plant health information, data and resources
	Defra factsheets	Plant pest and disease factsheets
	Scotland Plant Health Centre: Knowledge Bank – Forestry	Links to a wide array of projects and resources
	Plant Healthy eLearning	Free modules on a range of subjects fundamental to the management of plant health and biosecurity in the UK
	Arboricultural Association	Paid for course on Tree Pests, Diseases and Disorders
	Yorkshire Arboretum	Plant Health Courses
Report suspicious sightings of tree pests and diseases to Official Services	TreeAlert	The website for reporting signs of dangerous tree pests and diseases in Great Britain
	TreeCheck	A website for reporting signs of dangerous tree pests and diseases in Northern Ireland (and Ireland)
Keep in touch with others in the tree health community	Tree Health Citizen Science Network	A community of people (policymakers, scientists and volunteers) involved in tree health Citizen Science
Help out by looking for other species	National Biodiversity Network (NBN)	A national network and online platform to share biological data

AFTER STEP 3(a), you should:

• Be able to identify some of the most common pests and diseases of trees
• Know how to report any suspicious sightings of potentially new tree pests and diseases
• Feel part of the network of people contributing to science protecting our trees from pests and diseases

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Step 3b: “Support the biological recording community“

Task	Resources	Details/Links
Get involved with a specialist ecological/ biological recording society(ies)	Biological Records Centre	A national focus for terrestrial and freshwater species recording schemes and societies
	British Ecological Society	A learned society – the oldest in the world for the advancement of ecology
	National Biodiversity Network (NBN) and NBN Atlases	A national network and online platform to share biological data NBN Atlas NBN Atlas Scotland NBN Atlas Wales NBN Atlas Northern Ireland   NBN Atlas Isle of Man
Help out by looking for tree pests and diseases	TreeAlert	The website for reporting signs of dangerous tree pests and diseases in Great Britain
	TreeCheck	A website for reporting signs of dangerous tree pests and diseases in Northern Ireland (and Ireland)

AFTER STEP 3b, you should:

• Be able to identify many species of plants, animals, fungi etc. depending on your area of interest
• Feel part of the biological recording community
• If needed, know how to report any suspicious sightings of potentially new tree pests and diseases

 

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Biosecurity

Finally, the table below lists a few resources to help you enjoy the countryside and woodlands without inadvertently spreading pests and diseases yourselves.

Organisation	Resource	Details/Links
European Plant Protection Organisation (EPPO)	“Don’t Risk it”	Downloadable posters for tourists and travellers
Forestry Commission and Animal and Plant Health Agency	How biosecurity can prevent the introduction and spread of tree pests and diseases	Comprehensive information, guidance and further links
Scottish Forestry	“Keep it clean – don’t give tree pest and diseases an easy ride”	Biosecurity advice to help to protect our trees