What do Acute Oak Decline, The Red Squirrel Survival Trust and the silviculture reduction of oak rotation from 140 years to 100 years have in common? I can think of two or three answers around the work of the late Peter Goodwin.

Peter was from a family of cabinet makers and with Lewis Scott founded the Woodland Trust a charity focused on forestry and users of the different types of wood. The trust is a fount of knowledge about our native trees, tree planting advice and woodland based education.

Acute Oak Decline (AOD)

• AOD is an aggressive disease which can result in high levels of tree mortality within 5 years of diagnosis.
• Like chronic Oak decline, AOD affects pendunculate and sessile oak trees that are over 50 years old
• AOD is caused by a pathogenic bacteria that attacks the trunk of the tree causing a dark, sticky fluid to ooze from cracks or lesions in the bark.
• Trees may also suffer from canopy dieback, similar to that in chronic oak decline.
• Chronic Oak Decline is a less vociferous disease caused in part by insect damage caused by the leaf roller moth caterpillars .
• The Woodland Trust has sponsored research into the problems and potential treatment.

The Red Squirrel Survival Trust

• The American grey squirrel is a destructive pest that has displaced many colonies of red squirrels.
• By keeping reds and greys apart, red squirrels can be allowed to thrive protecting the biodiversity of Britain’s native woodlands.
• Other activities of the trust include establishing new red colonies across the UK wherever feasible and funding research.

 Ancient and veteran trees