Our GREEN and PLEASANT land?

WHEN WILLIAM BLAKE first penned his 1804 poem ‘And did those feet in ancient time’ he conjured up visions of a nation full of lush landscapes and rolling vistas, habitats for wildlife and a source of economic growth. Trees are vital habitats for wildlife. Twelve species of bird are associated with ash trees or ash woodland. Bullfinches eat the winged seeds. Nuthatches, chiffchaffs, blackcaps and wrens use the trees for nesting (source: Mitchell et al 2014*). The UK is at risk of losing millions of trees to pests and diseases which could seriously damage our beloved landscapes and wildlife populations. Observatree is a project that aims to help protect UK trees, woods and forests from new pests and diseases through early detection and reporting. Early detection gives us the highest chances of controlling or monitoring any outbreaks.