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Blog

Out with the old and in with the new: Welcome to Observatree

In 2017, Observatree produced more educational resources, ran successful media campaigns, trained stakeholders and volunteers across the county, attended events, held a volunteer celebration event and hosted a conference.

Peter Crow  •  07 Jan 2018

Blog

How does Observatree fit into tree disease?

Observatree project is asking citizens to help in protecting our trees from new pests and diseases, but why is this an issue and why is citizen science part of the answer?

Joan Webber  •  06 May 2015

Blog

Observatree attends the world’s first International Plant Health Conference

Colleagues from across the Observatree partnership, attended the world’s first International Plant Health Conference. Peter Crow, Observatree’s Project Manager, reflects on some of the conference’s key messages around the current and future global plant health challenges.

Peter Crow  •  17 Oct 2022

Video

Aerial Surveillance to Detect Pests and Diseases - February 2023

This talk will explain how the Forestry Commission use aerial surveillance (helicopters and drones) to survey trees for signs of poor health, disease and/or pest infestation. We will use Ips typographus as a case study to show how this work feeds into pest outbreak response work. We will also talk about the signs and symptoms looked for during drone surveillance for a range of emerging pests and diseases.

00:44:35

FAQ

Observatree FAQs

Frequently asked questions about Observatree and tree health.

Blog

Host of the month - Cedar

This month Matt Parratt takes a look at Cedars and Sirococcus blight.

Matt Parratt  •  17 Apr 2025

Pests and diseases

Red-necked Longhorn Beetle

The red-necked longhorn beetle larvae tunnel and feed under the bark of trees in the Prunus genus, such as cherries and plums.

Blog

Simulating a longhorn beetle outbreak

Find out about the creation of the longhorn beetle outbreak training trees, based at the Yorkshire Arboretum.

Ellie Barham  •  14 Feb 2017

Blog

The story so far: the difference we’ve made in five years

Ana Perez-Sierra, Head of Forest Research's Tree Health Diagnostic and Advisory Service, lets us know about the difference Observatree has made.

Ana Perez-Sierra  •  11 Dec 2018