Oak trees - a top habitat provider in your pocket!
12th June, 2024
Here at Action Oak, we are thrilled that our beloved oaks might soon be in your pockets on the new five pence piece.
UK 5p featuring oak leaves. © The Royal Mint Limited.
The Royal Mint says;
"The UK 5p coin displays a leaf taken from an oak tree, signifying its role as a rich habitat for biodiversity in British woodland areas. Supporting more life than any other native tree species in the UK, the oak tree has a long association with monarchies, as ancient kings of Britain and Roman Emperors wore crowns of oak leaves"
We are delighted to see our oaks being honoured in this way. We know they are an essential habitat provider! Considering they live for around 900 years, it doesn’t feel like a surprise that lots of species take advantage of them. They are the UK’s most important tree for biodiversity, supporting around 2,300 species of birds, mammals, fungi, invertebrates, bryophytes and lichens. This is more than any other native tree species. Around 300 of these species are obligate, which means they are only found on oaks. They are so important for so many species.
But did you know they are also under threat?
Here at Action Oak, our task is to protect our native oak trees from the threats they face. That means we need to identify what the threats are, understand how those threats can impact our trees and develop solutions to help mitigate these risks. The threats faced by our oak trees are varied, which makes addressing this challenge all the more intricate. It is essential that we understand the breadth of these threats. We do this by supporting research that deepens our understanding, which enables us to take appropriate action to protect our trees while regularly monitoring the horizon for emerging threats.
Agrilus biguttatus or 'oak jewel beetle' © Crown copyright. Forestry Commission
In our current research, you will find a focus on pests that are already here, in the UK, and causing an impact.
Agrilus biguttatus or 'oak jewel beetle' is a native pest. This satisfyingly shaped little fellow is being investigated to understand if it is essential to the development of Acute Oak Decline (AOD). AOD is a complex disease in which bacteria cause stem lesions on native species of British oak. It is a combination of factors which cause oak trees to become stressed. Environmental stresses like soil conditions, drought, waterlogging and pollution can all impact the tree.
Thaumetopoea processionea, Oak Processionary Moth (OMP) © Crown copyright. Forestry Commission
Thaumetopoea processionea, better known as Oak Processionary Moth (OPM), causes problems to our oaks when the caterpillars feed on their leaves and, as a result, increase the tree's vulnerability to attack by other pests and diseases or harsh environmental conditions such as prolonged periods without any rain. It is a pest that is controlled by measures, which means it cannot be introduced, moved, multiplied or released without prior permission. If you spot OPM on an oak tree, then you must report it via TreeAlert.
These are just two of the threats to our oak trees. We need to do more research, both into existing pests and also as part of horizon scanning efforts for pests that are not yet in the UK but could cause significant damage to our oaks.
But what does this mean for you, and how can you help?
There are several things you can do to help us continue our work and spread the word: You can donate to Action Oak to help us fund our work, share this blog with a friend so that they, too, can learn about the threats the oaks are facing, and follow us on our socials.
Please help us to continue our vital work to ensure these glorious trees are here for generations to come and those that are being planted today will still be standing 800 years from now.
Read more about the 5p: The Royal Mint unveils new coins of the nation | The Royal Mint
Authored by
Annabel Narayanan, Director of Action Oak
