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Blog

When are conkers ready? Plus, tips for how to play

Discover the best time to collect conkers and how to prepare them for a conker fight.

Danielle Wesley  •  27 Sept 2021

Blog

Do conkers keep spiders away? And other conker facts and uses

Do conkers keep spiders away? Do they deter moths? Can you eat conkers? Check out our top six facts and debunked myths.

Rachel Hoskins  •  30 Aug 2019

Blog

Can you eat conkers? Safety advice and chestnut differences

Learn more about conkers with our fascinating facts. What are they? Can you eat them? And what’s the difference between conkers and sweet chestnuts?

Danielle Wesley  •  25 Sept 2026

Blog

Conker crafts and activities

Discover creative and fun ways to use conkers in autumn. From simple crafts to activities and games the whole family can enjoy together.

Danielle Wesley  •  23 Sept 2019

Trees woods and wildlife

Horse chestnut

Spiky cases, gleaming seeds, celebrated by children. Horse chestnuts, with their mahogany-bright conkers, are the very essence of autumn.

Blog

13 Halloween nature crafts and activities for kids

Get set for spooky season with leaf ghosts, conker pumpkins, twig wands and a thrilling Halloween scavenger hunt!

Danielle Wesley  •  04 Oct 2023

Blog

Nature scavenger hunts for kids

Discover ideas for nature-based scavenger hunts and add some fun to your family walks in the woods.

Danielle Wesley  •  17 Jan 2020

Blog

Autumn outdoor activities for kids

Take a look at our autumn activities for kids and families to enjoy outside in the crisp autumn air. 

Hannah Vickers  •  01 Oct 2020

Blog

Are acorns edible? And other acorn facts

Acorns are a favourite dish of many woodland creatures, but did you know humans can eat them too? Here are some great recipes and more fascinating acorn facts.

Emilie Bonnevay  •  03 Sept 2019

Blog

Seed dispersal: 5 ways trees spread their seeds

Trees have found several ingenious ways to ensure their seeds are spread far and wide. Some use wind or water, some use explosive force, and some hitch a ride on passing animals. We look at each of these clever methods.

Amy Lewis  •  23 Aug 2019

Blog

Animal tracking: prints and poo identification for kids

Many animals can be hard to spot in the wild, but they leave plenty of clues behind. Learn how to identify animal tracks, poo and other signs.

Danielle Wesley  •  17 Feb 2020

Blog

Winter tree identification: a guide to bark, buds and twigs

Without their characteristic blossom or leaves, winter trees become tricky to identify. Our guide to winter tree identification will help you recognise them using their bark, buds and twigs.

Charlotte Varela  •  04 Feb 2026

Blog

11 easy autumn leaf crafts and activities for kids

Get creative with your kids this autumn and use fallen leaves to make rubbings, prints, wreaths, animal pictures and superhero masks.

Danielle Wesley  •  02 Oct 2026

Blog

What is a mast year? How and why it happens

Discover what a mast year is, what it means for trees and wildlife and what the data tells us about autumn 2025.

Alex Marshall  •  13 Jul 2026

Blog

First signs of autumn: 6 seasonal changes to look out for

Discover when autumn starts and the signs of the season – look for leaves changing colour, autumn fruits and seeds, migrating birds, ivy flowering and incredible fungi.

Kayleigh Jacobs-Rutter  •  16 Sept 2026

Support us

Go green in 15

Help us celebrate 15 years of the Green Tree Schools Award by completing 15 eco challenges.

Support us

Celebrate extraordinary trees

Tell us about a special tree in your life and why it’s important to you.

Trees woods and wildlife

Apple

Tart, tangy and crisp. The fruit of the apple tree is a firm favourite in the UK. And although they’re not native, we’ve been breeding them for centuries as eaters, cookers and to make cider.

Blog

Common symptoms of tree pests and diseases

Trees can suffer from pests and diseases at any time, here we explain the most common reasons why your tree could be struggling to thrive and what symptoms to look out for.

Matt Elliot  •  18 Aug 2020

Trees woods and wildlife

Sirococcus tsugae

A fungal disease that attacks cedars and hemlock, Sirococcus tsugae can cause disfigurement and eventually death to shoots and branches.

Blog

Tree ID for kids

Help youngsters learn how to identify trees through the seasons with our tree-spotting activities.

Danielle Wesley  •  02 Mar 2020

Blog

15 outdoor summer activities for kids

Discover fun things to do at home and on days out with our outdoor summer activities for kids. Try nature scavenger hunts, wildlife spotting, pond dipping, crafts and much more.

Danielle Wesley  •  15 Jul 2026

Trees woods and wildlife

Sweet chestnut blight

This fungus infects trees through fissures or wounds, and it has the potential to have a significant impact on our historic sweet chestnut woods.

Trees woods and wildlife

Acute oak decline

Our native oaks are under pressure like never before. They are declining at an unprecedented rate due to drought, flooding, pollution, pests and diseases.

About us

Help us find disease-resistant ash trees in Scotland

Documenting ash trees which show signs of resistance to deadly ash dieback disease is critical if we are to secure the future of this species in Scotland.

Trees woods and wildlife

Horse chestnut bleeding canker

Huge horse chestnut trees are icons in our parks and gardens, but they are under threat from two invaders: a bacterium and a leaf miner.

Trees woods and wildlife

Aspen

Trembling, fluttering and shimmering in the slightest breeze. The rippling leaves of this beautiful tree give it its name: quaking aspen.

Trees woods and wildlife

Cherry, bird

A stunning, scented show-stopper of a tree. In spring, nectar-loving animals flock to this beautiful tree for its almond-scented blossom.

Trees woods and wildlife

Poplar, black

Imposing, elegant, rare. The black poplar was once a staple of Britain’s landscape but these days, the trees are few and far between.

Trees woods and wildlife

Lime, common

At home on a country estate or deep in the wild, this lime is common in name only. It’s a hybrid between the small-leaved and large-leaved lime, and is a particular favourite of aphids and their many predators.

Trees woods and wildlife

Lime, large-leaved

Towering, romantic, sticky. Large-leaved lime is a handsome broadleaf tree that is a rich home for wildlife. Find out more.

Trees woods and wildlife

Pine, Scots

Towering in the glen, the Scots pine is a truly stunning tree. It is one of only three native conifers, and our only native pine. It’s the perfect home for iconic Scottish wildlife, such as the red squirrel, capercaillie, Scottish crossbill and the Scottish wildcat.

Trees woods and wildlife

Lime, small-leaved

Charming, sturdy, pollinator-magnet. Not only does the small-leaved lime’s blossom produce a sweet scent and pleasantly minty honey, its leaves support the caterpillars of moths such as the lime hawk, peppered and vapourer.

Trees woods and wildlife

Chestnut, sweet

Introduced by the Romans and a roasted winter treat. These long-lived giants, with their prickly-husks and deeply grooved bark, give us our classic Christmas nut.

Trees woods and wildlife

Poplar, white

Hardy, pale, magical. White poplar might not be native, but it is naturalised in the UK. It supports early pollinators and is an excellent coastal windbreaker, tolerating salty winds and exposure.

Trees woods and wildlife

Cherry, wild

Beautiful blossom and a bounty of bright red fruits. Wild cherry , one of the prettiest native trees, is relished by gardeners and wildlife.

Trees woods and wildlife

Microhabitats

Small yet mighty, these vibrant hubs of life are essential for biodiversity. Peek into the miniature worlds hidden within our trees. 

Trees woods and wildlife

Arkaig ospreys: behind the scenes of a nest camera in the Scottish Highlands

No wi-fi, no plug sockets, no film crew. Meet the people behind the camera and explore the set of the UK's most remote family drama.