On the Road with Observatree: Summer Training Highlights

Hello! I’m Vicky Bolton, Citizen Science Officer for Observatree, representing the Woodland Trust on the Observatree project. I work closely with our amazing partnership team and manage our brilliant network of volunteers. I’ve been in this role for just over a year now and I’m loving every minute!

This summer, we hit the road for our annual Observatree Summer Training events. It’s one of the most exciting parts of the year, where we get to meet volunteers face-to-face, share knowledge, and explore tree health together. Here’s a look back at what we got up to!

Bringing Training to Life

Each summer, the Observatree team travels across Great Britain to deliver in-person training. I teamed up with our Science Co-ordinator, Matt Parratt, and together we brought the sessions to life - me as facilitator, Matt as lead trainer. We were also joined by local experts, including Pathologists and Entomologists from Forest Research and FERA, who added their specialist insights.

We started each day with a classroom session. To break the ice, volunteers received a fact sheet on one of our priority pests or diseases, along with a bingo card. The challenge? Mingle and figure out who had which pest or disease. It was a fun way to get everyone talking - quite comical when a Pathology colleague exclaimed their dread when they kept encountering pests, the same could be found vice versa for Entomologists!

Matt then introduced a focused list of pests and diseases tailored to each region, which was especially helpful for new volunteers. We wrapped up the classroom session with a tree ID workshop, focusing on oaks (Quercus) and maples (Acer). Volunteers worked in groups to identify real samples using fun tips like spotting intercalary veins or checking for milky sap.

Biosecurity and Fieldwork

After lunch, we covered biosecurity - an essential part of being an Observatree volunteer. Alongside APHA colleagues, I demonstrated how to use biosecurity kits and clean boots properly. It’s all about making sure we don’t accidentally spread pests or diseases while surveying.

Then it was time to head outdoors! Each site offered real-life examples of pests and diseases, giving volunteers the chance to practice surveying and reporting with expert support.

Week-by-Week Highlights

Week 1: Southeast England

We kicked off in East Sussex at Sheffield Park and Gardens, spotting Acute Oak Decline and those classic D-shaped exit holes. Next, we visited Joydens Wood in Bexley, where we found Oriental Chestnut Gall Wasp right at the entrance, plus Mountain Ash Ringspot and signs of Phytophthora ramorum deeper in. New volunteers even practiced submitting TreeAlert reports as we went.

In Suffolk, we explored Ickworth Estate and found ancient trees, Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner, and dramatic examples of Acute Oak Decline.

Week 2: Southwest England & Wales

At Lacock Abbey (yes, the Harry Potter filming location!), we found a Horse Chestnut tree bubbling with sap - like a potion gone wrong! In Wrexham, we visited Erddig Hall and Gardens on the hottest day of the tour - 30°C! We adjusted the schedule to beat the heat and spotted Chalara Ash Dieback, storm damage, and suspicious bleeds on Beech.

Week 3: East Midlands & Yorkshire

At Belton House near Grantham, we found sickly yews and more D-shaped exit holes. Then we headed to Roundhay Park in Leeds, where local staff and our lead volunteer guided us through conifers with signs of Sirococcus tsugae, Horse Chestnut Leaf Miner, and more mystery bleeds.

Week 4: Scotland

We wrapped up in Edinburgh at Lauriston Castle. Over two days, we spotted Chalara Ash Dieback, Leaf Miners, and a Monkey Puzzle tree hollowed out by a mystery pathogen — a fascinating end to our tour!

5,000 Miles, 104 Volunteers, 1 Amazing Summer

Matt and I travelled over 5,000 miles to deliver nine events across Great Britain, joined by 104 fantastic volunteers. It takes a lot of planning and energy to make these events happen, but the chance to connect, learn, and support our volunteers makes it all worthwhile.

And the feedback? Volunteers told us how valuable and enjoyable the training was —which makes it all the more rewarding.

“Just overwhelmingly positive, I found it both a very constructive and informative day and also quite relaxing and enjoyable.”

“Having experts present in the room from FR is invaluable. Real experiences of trees and the traits they show when subjected to P&D is enforcing the learning. Seeing photos or reading it is not the same as seeing it on a tree. There is so much knowledge between everyone attending.... if only that could be bottled and shared! Well done team.”

“A well - paced, well-organised and very enjoyable day - an essential element of the overall Observatree training ‘package’, bringing people together and providing high quality input and support (although there may be some who are unable to attend through work commitments etc.). A brilliant session - thanks to all those involved in its organisation!”

What’s Next?

We’re already preparing for our next round of events: Science Days! These give volunteers a behind-the-scenes look at how their work fits into the bigger picture of tree health, including lab tours and live experiments. I’ll be back in the autumn to share how they went.

Thanks for reading — and a huge thank you to everyone who joined us this summer.