Trees woods and wildlife
Tree pests and diseases
Learn more about the pests and diseases threatening our trees. Find out how to spot them, the symptoms and outlook, and how you can help.
Tree disease fighting fund
Disease decimated the UK's elms, and now another is expected to result in the loss of 80% of our native ash trees. But all is not lost - with replanting and tighter controls on tree imports, we can start to repair the damage.
£15 billion
Is approximately spent on management costs due to ash dieback.
The Woodland Trust alone spends around £1.5 million per year managing the effects of ash dieback in our woods.
2,300 species
Are supported by oak trees, 326 species depend on them for survival.
Trees and woodlands are one of the most biodiverse habitats in the world, it's vital to fight for their health.
200 volunteers
Submitted over 26,000 tree health reports in 2024.
We support a UK-wide network of trained volunteers on the front line of disease reporting, ensuring alerts for new threats come in quickly.
We're taking a three-pronged approach to tackling the devastation wrought by tree pests and diseases.
Prevention
Biosecurity has to improve to stop diseases like ash dieback entering the UK in the first place. Our UK and Ireland Sourced and Grown Assurance Scheme allows nurseries to document the provenance of saplings, reducing the need to import stock from overseas.
Vigilance
The Observatree project raises awareness of tree pests and diseases, providing tools to help recognise them and report them to the right place. That way the emergence and spread can be halted early.
Replanting
We're creating new habitats for wildlife and increasing the resilience of our woods. By investing in new hedgerows and dedicated Targeting Tree Disease packs, we're replacing ash lost nationwide.
Help us fight back against tree disease
For over 12 years, we have been a key partner in the Observatree project. We manage the volunteer network, host the website, and produce and distribute the e-newsletter. Our involvement is a reflection of our deep commitment to protecting the UK's trees and woods.
As a charity, we rely on generous supporters like you to continue delivering this vital work. Every contribution makes a difference. Donating online is secure, quick and cost effective, ensuring more money goes directly to increasing the resilience of our woods.
Observatree
Observatree: monitoring tree health
We're using citizen science to recognise and record pests and diseases threatening UK trees.
External link
About us
Where do our trees come from?
With increasing numbers of tree pests and diseases in the UK, it's important we have confidence in the trees we plant. Find out more about how our trees are sourced and grown.