Major breakthrough made in grey squirrel fertility control ambition

New Blog! Action Oak supported research asks why some oak trees are more vulnerable to storm damage. @kateehalstead.bsky.social sky.social explains all, and why it is so important to do research of this kind. @rachelgaulton.bsky.social @salvobonomo.bsky.social @chrisquine.bsky.social

I’m delighted to share that our new paper identifying drivers of storm damage has been published in Agricultural and Forest Meteorology! www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti... A huge thank you to @rachelgaulton.bsky.social @salvobonomo.bsky.social @chrisquine.bsky.social @actionoak.bsky.social

After 7 successful years with Woodland Heritage, Action Oak is moving to a new host, the Royal Forestry Society. Chair Geraint Richards: "The Action Oak team looks forward to working with the RFS to protect our native oak trees for future generations." Thanks to Woodland Heritage! 🙏 #oaktrees

2,300 species are known to be associated with oak, and that doesn’t include all of the fungi, and any of bacteria and other micro-organisms which use oak! Gall wasps are one of those 2,300. Female wasps lay eggs in acorns causing knopper galls. #galls #oaktrees #biodiversity #actionoak

Oak trees are extremely important for biodiversity. Over 2,300 species use oak trees, including Chernes. Oaks continue to provide habitats even when they are no longer living. #oak #actionoak #biodiversity #invertabrates

Congratulations Kate!

The Woodland Trust is publishing a new State of the UK's Woods and Trees in 2025, and they are holding a live webinar on Thursday 12th June 12.30-2pm to discuss what what's new in the the UK's woodlands and forests. Register on this link: buff.ly/zXVZZZg

📉 Today we published The State of the UK's Woods and Trees Report 2025, bringing together the latest evidence needed to protect and restore our #woodlands 🩺🌳 👉 Read the key findings here: bit.ly/4dNkiYd 👂 Or tune in for our summary on BBC Radio Scotland (starts at 2.54) buff.ly/DwLp7cP

✨ RFS LAUNCHES TEN-YEAR STRATEGY ✨ lnkd.in/e8qN-vbX 🌳 Read more at: lnkd.in/euZBQSnk #RFSStrategy #Resilience #WoodlandManagement Thank you LandScan UK for videos of RFS Battram Woods.

As sponsors of #Agroforestry Show 2025, we are pleased to share a few highlights to look forward to: 🌍 Explore the future 🌱 Biodiversity Net Gain in Action 🐑 Farm Gate Chats 🚜 On-Farm Inspiration 🦋 Network in Nature Find out more: buff.ly/cE8a5cN #RFSEvents #Resilience #LearnWhatIsPossible

Volunteers wanted to help protect #redsquirrels & #trees in #Yorkshire, #Lancashire & #CountyDurham. We need individuals for #conservation work & land managers that need grey squirrel management. Email us: [email protected] #Volunteers More info: squirrelaccord.uk/volunteers-p...

What a pleasant surprise to hear from Action Oak @actionoak.bsky.social at our IWater event.

It is Invasive Species Week. Grey squirrels are an invasive non-native species, with over 2.5m in the UK. They can cause damage to trees which can be fatal. This is important to Action Oak because the squirrels impact our oaks.📷©RedSquirrelSouthWest #ActionOak #Invasivespecies

Great to see Kate Halstead presenting her PhD findings at today's @actionoak.bsky.social Oak Health and Plant Biosecurity event at Kew Gardens. @sciencesncl.bsky.social - really interesting day of talks and discussion.

Sara Redstone from @The_RHS presents "Biosecurity at the Royal Horticultural Society". 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth #WomeninScience #PlantBiosecurity #RHS #PlantHealthy #Biosecurity #RoyalHorticulturalSociety

Kate Halstead from Newcastle University presents "Saving the Oak Treescape from Storm Damage" 🌳🌳🌳 @rachelgaulton.bsky.social, @forestresearchuk.bsky.social, @sciencesncl.bsky.social @kateehalstead.bsky.social #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth #WomeninScience

Anna Platoni from @forestresearchuk.bsky.social presents "Detection dogs for Ips and Phtyophthera". 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth #WomeninScience

Dan Henderson from APHA, @APHAgovuk, presents "Managing grey squirrel numbers and the benefits to tree health". 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth

Louise Gathercole from the Centre for Forest Protection, @ForestProtectUK, presents "Oak Research at the Centre for Forest Protection" 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth

Rosa Sánchez Lucas from @unibirmingham.bsky.social presents "Defence priming in oak seedlings against powdery mildew". @rosasanchezlucas.bsky.social 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth #WomeninScience

Mark Fane, from Crocus, presents "Celebrating the Success of Plant Healthy" 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth

Neil Audsley from Fera presents "Alternative Control of Oak Processionary Moth" 🌳🌳🌳 #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth

Nicola Spence, @plantchief.bsky.social , from @DefraGovUK presents "The UK Plant Health Service". #ActionOak #ActionOakPartnerEvent25 #PlantHealthScience #PlantHealth #WomeninScience

Today Action Oak is collaborating with the Plant Health Alliance for our annual partner event "Oak Health and Plant Biosecurity". Stay tuned for an overview of research updates being shared.

🌳 Woodland owners and managers – our oaks need you. This summer, assess 5+ trees and share the data via Forest Lab to support research into Acute Oak Decline. Sign up 👉 www.forestresearch.gov.uk/news/145159-...

Today is International Day of Plant Health. Did you know that 3 billion kg of air pollutants are removed by plants each year in the UK? Our health and that of our planet depend on the health of our plants. #ActionOak #PlantHealthWeek #PlantHealth #InternationalDayofPlantHealth

Action Oak commemorates the 80th anniversary of VE Day and acknowledges all those working in the armed forces. Oak is the traditional symbol of the 80th anniversary, signifying strength & resilience. Our mission is to protect our oaks, so they are here for every 80th anniversary. #PlantHealthWeek

Some great articles here, including one on oak. Have a read.

Check out this digital artwork revealing nature's hidden worlds, all about the wonders of oak. Inspired by my work showing that 2300 species use oak trees www.kew.org/kew-gardens/... @actionoak.bsky.social @uktreescapes.bsky.social @wtscotsocial.bsky.social

Read our latest researcher spotlight at actionoak.org

National Plant Health Week 2025

#Competition time! 🌳 The Tree Council and Action Oak have teamed up to give away two copies of writer and environmentalist Jules Acton’s debut book. Head to our website to enter! https://buff.ly/3UU5IXb

For oak-related news from the Action Oak community, sign up to our newsletter: mailchi.mp/a176a366adc8... 🌳🌳🌳

This week it was #InternationalDayOfWomenAndGirlsInScience 🔬 It was great to work with @drelunadiez.bsky.social of @unibirmingham.bsky.social to highlight her work to understand the priming of defence in forest trees🌳 Learn more: ow.ly/e4eP50UVNNe

Hi Bluesky 👋 Action Oak is an initiative dedicated to safeguarding the UK's native Oak trees by collaborating with charities, government, landowners, and research institutions to research threats and develop solutions for their survival. You can learn more about Action Oak here: www.actionoak.org