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Trees woods and wildlife
Spiders and harvestmen
They might not be the UK's most loved animal, but spiders are pretty special with some species thriving in woodland habitats.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Common non-native trees
The common introduced trees you may find naturalised or growing wild in the UK.
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About us
Working with us
Working with us
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Trees woods and wildlife
Spotting and monitoring tree health
Observatree is a tree health early warning system ensuring that tree pests and diseases are spotted and reported quickly so they can be eliminated or controlled.
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Blog
Seven edible weeds: foraging in your garden
If you're a fan of foraging but missing roaming the woods and hedgerows right now, go in search of some edible plants that are closer to home. Here are seven edible garden weeds to look out for.
Helen Keating • 23 Apr 2020
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Video
Meet the people behind our work: Friends of Belvoir Wood
Hard graft. Passionate people. Expertise and skill. There's more to our woods than just trees. See for yourself what makes Friends of Belvoir Wood so special, and what it takes to keep it that way.
00:02:08
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Blog
When to pick sloes and how to make sloe gin
It's traditional to make sloe gin in autumn, ready for the coming winter. Here's an easy and delicious recipe for you to try, with our top sloe picking tips. It takes a couple of months to mature, so if you make it soon it'll be ready by Christmas.
Helen Keating • 15 Sep 2020
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Trees woods and wildlife
Wood pasture and parkland
Home of history and ancient trees, there’s more than meets the eye to wood pasture and parkland. These sites are often mixtures of habitats, with scrub and denser woodland groves, to more open grassland or heathland with scattered trees.
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Video
Restoring Coed y Galchog: a 25 year plan
Ray Turner, owner of Coed y Galchog near Ruthin, explains how the Woodland Trust is helping with his 25 year plan to restore the wood for future generations to enjoy.
00:05:09
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Video
How gifts in wills have made a difference: Avoncliff Wood
A third of all the work we do is made possible by gifts in wills. Find out more about the difference they've made to Avoncliff Wood, a beautiful wood in the Cotswolds that's also helping to combat the use of plastic on our estate.
00:03:00
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Practical guidance
Practical guidance on restoring your ancient woodland
An introductory summary of training modules by the Woodland Trust for restoring ancient woodland.
PDF (582 KB)
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Blog
First signs of autumn
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.
Danielle Wesley • 31 Aug 2019
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Blog
Why are plants important? Reasons why we need them
Plants are an essential resource. We rely on them for food, water, medicine, the air we breathe, habitat and our climate.
Eleanor Clark • 17 Apr 2018
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Plant trees
Which species to plant
Different trees have different purposes and needs. Choose your species according to the land you have and what you want from your trees.
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Practical guidance
Planners' manual for ancient woodland and veteran trees - Scotland
Practical guidance for planners in Scotland on embedding ancient woodland and veteran trees in decision making, recognising their value, and avoiding damage from development.
PDF (16.84 MB)
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Case study
Restoring ancient woodland in mid Wales
A case study demonstrating the restoration of ancient woodland in Mid Wales, including the extraction of timber using horse logging techniques.
PDF (347 KB)
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Journal
Wood Wise – conservation grazing in woodland management
The autumn 2012 issue of Wood Wise examines the value of grazing for woodland management, including the impacts difference grazers can have.
PDF (3.39 MB)
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Blog
7 blossom crafts and activities for kids
Discover fun blossom crafts and activities to enjoy with your children this spring.
Danielle Wesley • 11 Mar 2022
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Trees woods and wildlife
Plum, cherry
Street tree, early spring flowerer and ancestor of the domestic plum. Cherry plum is one of the first trees to blossom in the UK.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Box, common
A native evergreen that’s at home in your garden. Box is so special it’s got a hill named after it. Box Hill in Surrey takes its name from the ancient box woodland on its steep chalk slopes.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Southern wood ant
Acid-spraying insects with a soft side. Southern wood ants roam our woods in huge gangs and have a surprising approach to finding their favourite food.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Deathcap
Silent assassin and killer of kings. The deathcap has been used as a murder weapon for millennia.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Foxglove
Beautiful but deadly. This familiar flower has the power to cure and kill.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Fly agaric
Famous, enchanting and highly toxic. Fly agaric is the home of fairies and magical creatures and a lover of birch woodland.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Dothistroma needle blight
This fungal disease can have a serious impact on our native Scots pines. It could spell trouble for our rare, ecologically invaluable Caledonian pine forests.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Lesser celandine
Charming and cheerful, the star-shaped flowers of the lesser celandine brighten up the woodland floor. Look out for their friendly yellow flowers on path edges in early spring.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Song thrush
Famous for smashing open snails and for the sweet song which gives this bird its name. The song thrush was once a common sight in UK woodland, but is sadly in decline.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Orange-tip
Subtle, delicate and well-disguised – that is until the male flashes a splash of bright orange. Orange-tips are a butterfly of grassland and woodland edges.
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Trees woods and wildlife
Orange ladybird
A bright, cheery leaf-lover. The orange ladybird spends its winters nestled in the leaf litter and its summers feasting on mildew in the canopy.