Planting trials to help select trees for warmer times

A patch of young trees growing at an estate in Kent could provide clues to the kinds of trees we should plant for a warmer future in Britain.

The saplings are being grown by the Forestry Commission's Forest Research agency on the Woodland Trust's Hucking Estate, near Maidstone.

Scientists from Forest Research have planted more than 3700 saplings including oak, ash, sweet chestnut and wild cherry on the estate.

As well as local sources, the saplings came from locations in northern France and central Italy. This is because these areas of Europe currently have the sorts of climates which, with the effects of climate change, are predicted for Kent in 2050 and 2080.

Laura Henderson, the Forest Research trial manager, hopes that the findings will help woodland owners to plan future planting.

"Trials like this are important. Many of our tree species might not survive if climate change continues at its predicted rate, and we urgently need solutions which dilute the risk and increase resilience," said Laura Henderson.

"Trees from other regions could be part of the answer, because we believe they might be better adapted to our future climate.

"Our findings at Hucking will help us develop guidance which could help woodland managers to ensure their woodlands thrive now and in the future."

Scientists are studying the survival and growth rates of each tree and they also note their growth periods and the times at which buds develop in spring - life-cycle factors which are greatly influenced by climatic conditions.

Information on this project and other Forest Research resources to help woodland managers choose species suitable for planting in changing conditions is available on the climate adaptation pages of the Forest Research website.

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