LJN Blog Posts

The UK landscape and woodland suffer significant losses of environmentally and ecologically important species every Christmas time.

The demise of the female Holly tree is relatively well documented but this does not stop continuing damage by way of removing berry bearing foliage to decorate homes over the Christmas period. Ivy is under no such threat but many other native specimens which are vitally important to wildlife, particularly birds, over the winter period by way of a food supply as well as the fact that the removal of the seeds, prevents natural regeneration of these plant species resulting in declines of statistical significance.

Butchers Broom, Hawthorn, Rowan, Spindle, Wild Service Tree and many native Scots Pine have all suffered from this removal of foliage. Other non native trees and ornamental specimens are also used; although this is of little damage to the UK landscape as a whole - but I have witnessed the felling of large commercially grown spruce simply to remove the top for a Christmas tree and in no small amount.

Another issue this year is the online publication of blogs and advice with regards 'growing your own mistletoe'. Whilst UK mistletoe is in short supply in commercial terms, it is not actually under threat asides from the habitual removal during Christmas - which as with all 'foliage collection' from native trees is illegal under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. However statements, even found on government websites that Mistletoe does not harm a tree are very misleading. There are many riparian plantations of Poplar in France, which exist to stem and absorb the flow of nitrate rich run off from agriculture, many of these plantations have suffered from an over population of mistletoe resulting in the death of the tree. If by encouraging mistletoe growth on trees that habitually suffer from stress, in particular Urban trees, this could be a deciding factor in the trees eventual demise. The management techniques in growing mistletoe in a sustainable manner are time consuming and skilled, it is simply irresponsible to promote the introduction of mistletoe into unsuitable environments and campaigns to ensure the continuation of mistletoe are interlinked with re establishing Orchards which can afford the necessary maintenance requirements.

There is also the real risk of using a non native species of Mistletoe from a supplier using a US or European supply chain, thus introducing a potential pest into the environment.

One huge factor is that the UK population at large are simply uneducated in their own natural landscape. The laws in regard to native species suffer from the truth that many people will not be aware of what is actually native or not. To illustrate this point it is still possible to read or hear questions relating to the planting of Knotweed and other invasive species. And furthermore with the increase of land purchased by non traditional landowners, there is a recognised lack of proper management resulting in the demise of native species and a sharp increase in non native invasive species.

Whilst browsing the plethora of magazines and newspaper articles relating to interior design it is encouraging to see some use of non traditional foliage for decoration, (Eucalyptus and Cotoneaster intertwined with Conifer branches), unfortunately there are always photos of native foliage used for decoration, which are not only appealing to readers but fit a modern trend. Supply by way of the traditional licensed suppliers of such foliage cannot meet the demand and the policing of our countryside is simply impossible and increasingly so during periods of considerable cuts to public spending.