Are native trees the answer?

Trees in Sheffield Park, Sussex (Photo: Courtesy of National Trust)

Some twelve thousand years ago as the last Interglacial came to an end and the ice that covered much of Britain slowly retreated, tree species began to recolonise from the south. Thirty species comprise what we now recognise as our native trees.  Climate change is already directly affecting them: some species may prove to be more resilient to drought, heat and unstable weather patterns than others.  New diseases and pests are arriving at an accelerating pace.  Trees are migratory – but typically migrate very slowly, over generations and centuries. How will they respond to a faster pace of change?  Sadly, our iconic oaks may prove to be among the most vulnerable.

Learn more about this important  issue at the Hampshire Garden Trust Annual Study Day on 19 March in Ropley, near Alresford.  Speakers from the Forestry Commission, and the National Trust will describe their ongoing research on the impact of temperature changes and weather turbulence: what will thrive in 2050 and beyond?  A speaker from the Alice Holt Research Station in the New Forest will recount why pests and disease have increased over the past 40 years and what are the more serious threats yet to arrive?

Hear how the National Trust is future-proofing one of their historic gardens by increasing bio-diversity and conserving the fauna and flora across the 500 acres of Sheffield Park in Sussex.

Click here for full details and to apply for Study Day tickets.