Our projects

Our research addresses environmental, pest and pathogen and socioeconomic threats. We use innovative science to understand how to reduce risk, help treescapes recover from negative impacts and adapt to future changes.

Woodland
Infusing resilience into the Scots pine genetic resource

Infusing resilience into the Scots pine genetic resource

Investigating Scots pine resilience

Investigating Scots pine resilience

Understanding wind storm risks in continuous cover forestry

Understanding wind storm risks in continuous cover forestry

Innovating remote early detection and response to tree disease

Innovating remote early detection and response to tree disease

Enhancing forest resilience through stand structural complexity

Enhancing forest resilience through stand structural complexity

Sustainable provenancing for resilient trees

Sustainable provenancing for resilient trees

Speed breeding technologies for UK broadleaved trees

Speed breeding technologies for UK broadleaved trees

Applying dendrochronology for genomic resilience

Applying dendrochronology for genomic resilience

Farmer action for tree resilience

Farmer action for tree resilience

Forest Sector Modelling – Risks and Resilience

Forest Sector Modelling – Risks and Resilience

Detecting and understanding oak shake

Detecting and understanding oak shake

Understanding grey squirrel bark stripping

Understanding grey squirrel bark stripping

Researching complex yew decline

Researching complex yew decline

Investigating ash health genomics after long-term ash dieback exposure

Investigating ash health genomics after long-term ash dieback exposure

EXPLORATION: Mixed species planting for drought adaptation

EXPLORATION: Mixed species planting for drought adaptation

Dodging the double whammy – ash dieback and emerald ash borer

Dodging the double whammy – ash dieback and emerald ash borer

Predicting risk to non-native tree species from potential threats in the UK

Predicting risk to non-native tree species from potential threats in the UK

Reassessing the threat posed by pinewood nematode to UK Forestry

Reassessing the threat posed by pinewood nematode to UK Forestry

Infusing Dothistroma needle blight resilience into the Scots pine breeding population

Infusing Dothistroma needle blight resilience into the Scots pine breeding population

Understanding the genetic basis of silver birch adaptation to local environments and disease

Understanding the genetic basis of silver birch adaptation to local environments and disease

Mapping attitudes and cultural connections to lost tree species and their restoration

Mapping attitudes and cultural connections to lost tree species and their restoration

Mapping the distribution and diversity of UK elm

Mapping the distribution and diversity of UK elm

Evaluating genetic and environmental bottlenecks in planted and naturally colonised woodlands

Evaluating genetic and environmental bottlenecks in planted and naturally colonised woodlands

Using spatial modelling to understand environmental predisposition to tree diseases

Using spatial modelling to understand environmental predisposition to tree diseases

Identifying proxy measurements for drought tolerance in Sitka spruce

Identifying proxy measurements for drought tolerance in Sitka spruce

Transforming ash genomics: Creating a pangenome to understand ash dieback resistance

Transforming ash genomics: Creating a pangenome to understand ash dieback resistance

Developing biological control mechanisms for sweet chestnut blight

Developing biological control mechanisms for sweet chestnut blight

Consolidating and curating datasets for ash genomics

Consolidating and curating datasets for ash genomics

Assessing susceptibility to acute oak decline

Assessing susceptibility to acute oak decline

Scoping multi-species genotyping for genome-environment association study

Scoping multi-species genotyping for genome-environment association study

Assessing the potential impact of Xylella bacteria on UK trees

Assessing the potential impact of Xylella bacteria on UK trees

Using phylogenetic relationships to predict susceptibility of tree species to pests and pathogens

Using phylogenetic relationships to predict susceptibility of tree species to pests and pathogens

Understanding the drivers of grey squirrel damage in UK Woodlands

Understanding the drivers of grey squirrel damage in UK Woodlands

Work With Us

The Centre for Forest Protection aims to create a dedicated hub and network of specialists who will work together to shape the Centre's science programme. It will also provide the expertise that can be drawn upon to support a comprehensive response to tackling threats to forests, woodlands and trees – particularly from pests and diseases.

Knowledge Hub

A key priority for the Centre is knowledge exchange and ensuring that research outputs are shaped by stakeholder engagement to increase their relevance and impact. Part of this will be working with stakeholders to create a knowledge hub to promote the sharing of evidence, expertise and best practice that can help promote the resilience of forests and woodlands.

Alice Holt

Our Partners

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