DiversiTree
DiversiTree: diversifying our woodlands to increase resilience
DiversiTree aims to increase the resilience of current and future woodlands to climate change and tree diseases by understanding the methods to, and the impacts of, diversifying tree species composition within our woods.
A YouTube introduction to the project can be found here: : What is DiversiTree? Dr Ruth Mitchell explains - YouTube
Scientific challenge
Currently there is rapid woodland expansion within the UK as part of the government plans to store more carbon, to mitigate climate change and to reverse biodiversity declines. However, many of the UK’s trees are threatened by climate change and a range of diseases, which may limit their ability to contribute to carbon storage and the wide range of other benefits delivered by woodlands. We therefore need to make our woodlands resilient to these future threats.
One commonly proposed approach to increase the resilience of woods is to increase tree species diversity. This approach spreads the risk amongst many different trees as we don’t know how different trees will respond to climate change, nor what threats from diseases they may face decades into the future.
DiversiTree will combine woodland managers’ knowledge with ecological knowledge to identify which tree species and management approaches best deliver diversification that increases resilience.
Project summary
DiversiTree focuses on woods dominated by two conifer species, Scots Pine and Sitka Spruce, as in the year to March 2021 54% of all new woodland was coniferous. Scots Pine is a native conifer of economic significance. It is planted for timber production but is also the dominant species in the culturally iconic Caledonian pinewoods and is at risk from the tree disease Dothistroma. Sitka Spruce is not native to Britain but is our most economically valuable tree species and is at risk from invasive bark beetles and climate change.
DiversiTree addresses four knowledge gaps related to the diversification of woodlands:
1) How do stakeholders understand forest diversity, their diversification strategies, and their visions and ambitions for diverse future forests?
2) Are the microbes found on the leaves of trees more diverse in woodlands with mixed tree species and does this help trees to better defend themselves against diseases?
3) How may diversification of tree species within a wood allow the continued support of woodland biodiversity?
4) How do we implement and communicate management strategies to increase woodland resilience?
Collaborating institutes and lead staff
- The James Hutton Institute – Dr Ruth Mitchell
- Bangor University – Dr Norman Dandy
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh – Dr Chris Ellis
- RSPB – Dr Paul Bellamy
- The Woodland Trust – Dr Chris Nichols
- University of Birmingham – Professor Rob Jackson
Funding information
DiversiTree is one of six interdisciplinary projects receiving a share of £3 million funding from UK Research and Innovation as part of its Future of UK Treescapes programme, which will inform decision making by governments, local authorities and land managers.
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