forests

Luxurious white truffles could grow in British forests

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Luxurious white truffles could grow in British forests as French scientists make breakthrough that would free the £2,500-a-lb delicacies from just their Italian homelands The fungus is frequently described as being the finest available on the planet Chalky, wet regions ideal for them to develop, which suits areas of UK and US Saplings brought to … Read more

Covid UK: Lockdown visitors ruin one of Britain’s most important ancient forests by holding weddings

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Lockdown visitors ruin one of Britain’s most important ancient forests by holding weddings, leaving litter and stripping moss from trees for their hanging baskets Devon County Council say visitors are ‘ruining’ Wistman’s Wood on Dartmoor People have held weddings, left litter and stripped moss from dwarf oak trees  Area likely to be left-over from ancient forest … Read more

Environment: Forests covering an area nearly twice the UK’s size have been destroyed since 2004

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To make way for farmland and mining, forests covering an area nearly twice that of the UK have been destroyed since 2004, a report from WWF has claimed. The global conservation charity’s ‘Deforestation Fronts’ report examined 24 hotspots for the destruction of forests across 29 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. Between 2004–2017, they … Read more

Less than half of the world’s forests are still functioning as they naturally should

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Less than half of the world’s forests are still functioning as they should due to human meddling, according to a new study. An international team of 47 scientists reveals 40.5 per cent of the world’s forests have ecosystem integrity – meaning they’re free from human modification. Human modification includes industrial-scale logging, fragmentation by infrastructure, farming, … Read more

Nature: Children who play in forests and parklands have stronger immune systems, study suggests

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Playing among forests and parklands — rather in than concrete and gravel yards — helps children to foster a stronger immune system, a study has concluded. Previous studies have proposed that city-dwellers may be at a greater risk of immune-mediated diseases thanks to a lack of exposure to diverse microbiota. This fails to challenge the … Read more

‘Vampire plants’ found in world’s forests eat other vegetation

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Fiery red ‘vampire plants’ found around the world feast on other vegetation by wrapping its suckers around the host’s roots Researchers have described the Langsdorffia plant in a new study The plants, deemed parasitic, attach to other vegetation and suck out nutrients  It wraps sucker-like roots around the host underground  to feed The plants also secrete … Read more

An alfresco August for staycationers: Drive-in cinemas, a 100mph zip-wire line and Dark Sky forests

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An alfresco August is on the cards for staycationers thanks to drive-in cinemas, a 100mph zip-wire line, mega-mazes and ‘Dark Sky’ forests Drive-in cinemas are set to be the hit of 2020, says Holiday Hero Neil Simpson The ‘mega maize maze’ at Hirsty’s Family Fun park allows for social distancing Farms across the country are … Read more

Ash dieback disease plaguing British forests could be stopped by hedgerows

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Ash dieback disease plaguing forests could be stopped by hedgerows and may NOT be as harmful as previously thought, study finds Study assessed levels of the fungal disease in a 22 square km patch of woodland Found that within two years the disease was found on almost all trees in the area  However, trees in … Read more

Public are urged not to visit UK’s woods and forests

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Public are urged not to visit UK’s woods and forests as National Trust shuts car parks amid coronavirus lockdown Public told to not visit the UK’s woods and forests to stop spread of coronavirus Forestry England issued a statement urging people to heed government advice The National Trust also closed car parks after visitors went … Read more