We are very proud to be part of The Tree Council’s National Tree Week, which brings together the conservation sector, volunteers and tree-lovers to mark the start of the annual tree planting season by planting thousands of trees and hedgerows and celebrating the trees in our landscape. Last year we launched Oak Day,a day to focus on all things oak-y and celebrate our oaks. Today is 2024’s Oak Day, keep your eyes on our socials for Oak Day posts!
News from Action Oak
Moorcroft and Royal Forestry Society collaboration launch ‘The Majesty of Trees'
October saw us convene at the beautiful Blenheim palace for the launch of our new collaboration with Moorcroft and the RFS. The collaboration is a stunning collection from Moorcroft – The Majesty of Trees.
The day saw a range of talks from Action Oak, The Royal Forestry Society and Moorcroft as well as from Filipe Salbany from Blenheim. Guests were then treated to a tour of the estate viewing the magnificent ancient oaks and a demonstration from the talented Moorcroft artists into what goes into creating these beautiful pieces.
Great British Oaks calendar – supporting Action Oak
With Christmas creeping up you won’t want to miss our Great Oaks of the British Isles calendar. We have collaborated with renowned photographer, Charles Sainsbury-Plaice to create this stunning calendar.. with images of iconic oaks from around the UK. This is more than a calendar—it’s a way to support an important cause and celebrate the grandeur of British oak trees.
The Great British Oak Tree Calendar is available at www.countrysidegreetings.com for £15.99. Every purchase helps to fund our work.
New Blog post from Tony Kirkham
In answer to one of our most frequently asked questions "How to plant, grown and nurture oaks" Tony Kirkham MBE, VMH FIFIor (Hon) FArfborA, retired Head of the Arboretum, Gardens and Horticultural Services at RBG Kew has written a new blog with all you need to know. Read it in full here
Community News
Ed Pyne PhD
Congratulations to Ed Pyne who was awarded his PhD from Bangor university – the PhD What lurks beneath: unravelling the chemically-guided ecological interactions of Armillaria fungi, a devastating group of subterranean forest pathogen. Ed has since taken a new role with the Woodland Trust and is working with Action Oak on the Knowledge into Action Sub-committee.
Photo: L-R James McDonald, Gareth Griffiths (Aberystwyth), Ed Pyne, Ellie Jameson (Bangor) Photo Credit: Prysor Williams - Bangor
We were really pleased to see that the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year 2024 focused on oaks. The winner is the Skipinnish Oak in Lochaber, Scotland. This 400 year old oak is one of the largest in the region, hosting a diverse range of species including rare lichens.
Photograph Woodland Trust/PA
Welsh Government Funding
Applications for the Welsh Government Woodland Restoration Scheme (WRS) opened on 11 November and will close at midnight 28 February 2025. WRS provides funding for capital works for restocking, fencing and associated operations on sites where there is larch and up to 50% non-larch species, felled due to the presence of Phytophthora ramorum. Rural Payments Wales will make regular selections during the window, so you are encouraged to apply early, as the window may close prior to 28 February if the £1m budget is fully allocated.
The IOS is pleased to announce the launch of their third round of Oak Conservation and Research (OC&R) Grants. Following on the success of the 2020 and 2022 programs, the OC&R Fund continues to grow and for this round will disburse awards of between US$ 5,000 and US$10,000. Further details are available on their website here, including a link to the application form. You can find information about the projects supported by their grants here.
