Tree News

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Yuanfan Ma, Yuxuan Guo, Mulualem Tigabu, Qiaoling Lan, Guangyu Wang, Jiayu Chen, Zhehan Li, Futao Guo

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Spencer C. Quayle, Scott E. Nielsen

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Xiaomiao Ma, Chao Wang, Xu Wang, Ziping Liu, Yimei Wang, Edith Bai

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Jumpei Toriyama, Yoshimi Sakai, Masahiro Inagaki, Kyotaro Noguchi, Akihiro Imaya

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Quel Vilalta-Clapés, Roger Puig-Gironès, Adrià Bellvert, Carles Tobella, Pere Pons

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Yu Su, Wanying Chen, Shiyuan Meng, Jintuo Zou, Yanqiong Li, Andi Li, Xiaomin Zhu

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Bing Xue, Guoping Tang, Zhongkai Ren, Linwei Zeng, Xiaobin Li, Yuqi Li, Nan Jiang

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Haiwen Wang, Chao Chen, Jiahui Zang, Xiaoqiao Xu, Shaojie Zheng, Chun Yang, Xiaorui Zhang, Lihui Wei, Xu Qiao, Dongmei Zhou, Tingting Dai

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Enée Gottschalk, Bruno Vilela, Karla Vieira Morato, Deborah Faria

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Martyna Lasek, Bartosz Łabiszak, Witold M. Wachowiak

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Václav Šimůnek, Václav Trojan, Zdeněk Vacek, Stanislav Vacek, Jan Cukor, Michal Bledý, Vilém Podrázský, Jan Stejskal, Vojtěch Hájek, Josef Gallo, Pavel Brabec, Lenka Lehnerová, Alžběta Pařízková

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Sarah L. Hettema, Camille Stevens-Rumann, Hannah Van Dusen, Mike A. Battaglia, Anthony G. Vorster, Jens Stevens

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Marsh Hlavka, Marlyse Duguid, Mark Ashton

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Mika Nieminen, Tapani Sallantaus, Sakari Sarkkola

Publication date: 15 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 606Author(s): Bruno Barcante Ladvocat Cintra, Rodrigo S. Bergamin, Rachel Mailes, Roel Brienen, Estrella Luna, Angus Rob MacKenzie, Adriane Esquivel-Muelbert

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Kristen N. Wilson, Kristen L. Shive, John N. Williams, Malcolm P. North, Michelle Coppoletta, J. Nicholas Hendershot, Charlotte K. Stanley

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Constança Camilo-Alves, Ana Poeiras, Margarida Vaz, João Barroso, Nuno Almeida-Ribeiro

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Song Wang, Honggang Sun, Gongxiu He

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Agnese Anta Liepiņa, Diāna Jansone, Didzis Elferts, Jānis Donis, Zane Lībiete

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Alexandra Koller, Alina Azekenova, Karl-Heinz Feger, Karsten Kalbitz, Goddert von Oheimb

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Sabina M. Aitken, Pieter A. Arnold, Matthew T. Brookhouse, Alicia M. Cook, Lisa M. Danzey, Rosalie J. Harris, Andy Leigh, Adrienne B. Nicotra

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Otávio Miranda Verly, Pedro Manuel Villa, Marcelo Vitor Gualberto Santos Chaves, Samuel José Silva Soares da Rocha, Luiz Claudio Medeiros Cabral-da-Silva, Klisman Oliveira, Maria Paula Miranda Xavier Rufino, Samuel Braz Vieira, D’lano Figueiredo Teixeira Sathler, Jacinto Moreira de Lana, Carlos Moreira Miquelino Eleto Torres

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Lorenzo Orzan, Antonio Tomao, Gabriele Antoniella, Gianmaria Bonari, Valentino Casolo, Tommaso Chiti, Paolo Cingano, Alessandro Foscari, Guido Incerti, Speranza Claudia Panico, Natalie Piazza, Giacomo Trotta, Giorgio Alberti

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Christopher Marsh, Matthew D. Hurteau, Owen Burney

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Stefan Kaufmann, Mareike Delp, Denise Heinze, Line Kreimeyer, Miriam Rosenbach, Markus Hauck

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Lucia Pole, Željko Zgrablić, Olga Malev, Ana Pošta, Armin Mešić, Tijana Martinović

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Jie Wang, Honglang Duan, Qiqiang Guo, Liehua Tie, Shengnan Ouyang, Zongzheng Chai

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Jinlan Xiao, Olusanya Abiodun Olatunji, Dong Wang, Mathias Neumann

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Dryw A. Jones, David V. D’Amore, Kellen N. Nelson, Frances Biles, Michael C. Howe

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Saba J. Saberi, Phillip J. van Mantgem, Micah C. Wright, Christopher Y.S. Wong, Andrew M. Latimer, Derek J.N. Young

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Samuel Hughes, Thiago S.F. Silva, Laura Braunholtz, Kevin Watts, Matt Guy, Kirsty J. Park, Vanessa Burton, Marc J. Metzger, Julia Koricheva, Elisa Fuentes-Montemayor

Publication date: 1 April 2026Source: Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 605Author(s): Alexandre Ferreira do Nascimento, Ingo Isernhagen, Jorge Lulu, Antonio Okada, Jussane Antunes Fogaça dos Santos, Austeclínio Lopes de Farias Neto

Publication date: Available online 17 January 2026Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): Carla Iara Dos Santos Dantas, Layon Oreste Demarchi, Florian Wittmann, Maria Teresa Fernandez Piedade, Giuliette Barbosa Mano, João Paulo Martins de Souza, Jochen Schöngart

Publication date: Available online 8 January 2026Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): Sarah H. Watts, Andrew Warwick, Kirsty J. Park, Nadia Barsoum, Alistair S. Jump

Publication date: Available online 31 December 2025Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): Luke E. Painter, Robert L. Beschta, William J. Ripple

Publication date: Available online 30 December 2025Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): Daniel R. MacNulty, Elaine M. Brice, Nicholas J. Bergeron, Eric J. Larsen

Publication date: Available online 30 December 2025Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): R. Virkkala, A.-M. Määttänen, R.K. Heikkinen

Publication date: Available online 30 December 2025Source: Forest Ecology and ManagementAuthor(s): Jari Vauhkonen

As more than half of the United States braces for a powerful winter storm, some meteorologists are warning on social media that “exploding trees” are possible.

With severe cold hitting much of the country, some unusual phenomena like “exploding trees” could be on the way. Here’s what to know.

The diversity of water strider species apparently developed as early as the Cretaceous period, much earlier than previously thought. SNSB researchers have succeeded in clarifying the phylogenetic history of this insect family, with molecular analyses providing comprehensive insights into their relationships and evolution. Their study has now been published in the journal Systematic Entomology.

Claims have been made on social media about how exploding trees could occur due to extremely cold temperatures. Trees will not explode during cold weather, but the stress the cold puts on the trees …

While the weight of freezing rain, ice and snow can damage branches, there is another kind of injury that comes with the extreme cold, experts say.

C, reports of “exploding trees” are trending. Learn the science of frost cracks and how to protect your yard this winter.

Apparently, concerns of exploding trees this winter have circulated online as people in multiple states prepare for more bone-chilling temperatures.

The specialist, though, said he has never seen a tree “explode” due to cold temperatures, as it is extremely rare.

The Marches, Shropshire: Without its bark, this Scots pine’s life cycle has slowed, allowing it to stand tall in death for hundreds of years“The clown passeth by thee and heedeth thee not, / But thou’rt a warm source of reflection for me” wrote John Clare in To a Dead Tree. This clown has passeth an old dead tree in Attingham Park – at Atcham, near Shrewsbury – many times without much heedeth, but today, warmed by bright sunlight after weeks of cold weather, it is certainly a source of reflection.Clare saw his own mortality in a dead tree, but this one speaks of a beyond-death experience. A tall, leafless, largely branchless, barkless, wraith-pale pole stands near ancient oaks, some of which also have bare “dead” trunks and boughs and are beautiful in their starkness. This vision of a ruin may be a Scots pine, perhaps more than 300 years old, and it’s been dead for many of them. A standing dead tree such as this is called a kelo tree, using a Finnish word for dead standing timber that has come into common usage. Continue reading…

As a brutal winter storm begins to form, the majority of the US is bracing for hazardous conditions this week. Meteorologists have warned that expected subzero temperatures could cause ‘exploding …

A total of 4.09 million hectares of oil palm plantations inside forest areas was brought under control in 2025.

A tree-mendous freeze. Forecasters are warning that expected subzero temperatures could cause trees to explode as a brutal cold snap is expected to wallop most of the country in the coming days. Trees …

Dreaming of harvesting peaches, plums, apples or figs from your own backyard? Growing delicious homegrown fruit starts with planting your tree correctly—and at the right time of year.

Watch our January 2026 webinar designed to support Countryside Stewardship Higher Tier (CSHT) applications. This webinar shares the differences between the three CSHT non-stackable supplements and where they can be used. The 3 supplements are: CWS2: Manage and restore plantations on ancient woodland sites (PAWS) supplement – https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cws2-manage-and-restore-plantations-on-ancient-woodland-sites-paws-supplement CWS8: Manage native woodland including ancient semi-natural woodland supplement – https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cws8-manage-native-woodland-including-ancient-semi-natural-woodlands-asnw-supplement CWS5: Improve woodland resilience supplement – https://www.gov.uk/find-funding-for-land-or-farms/cws5-improve-woodland-resilience-supplement

Felling of 500-year-old oak has provoked fury from public and Enfield council, which leases land to Mitchells & ButlersThe restaurant chain Toby Carvery is facing eviction from one of its sites after taking a chainsaw to an ancient oak tree without the permission of its council landlord.The partial felling last April of the 500-year-old oak on the edge of a Toby Carvery car park in Whitewebbs Park, Enfield, provoked widespread public dismay and fury from Enfield council, which leases the land to the restaurant’s owners Mitchells & Butlers Retail (M&B). Continue reading…

U.S. forests have stored more carbon in the past two decades than at any time in the last century, an increase attributable to a mix of natural factors and human activity, finds a new study.

The Northwest Forest Plan, adopted in 1994, helped quell mounting tensions between timber companies and environmentalists. It protected large swaths of old-growth forest in Washington, Oregon and …

Illustration by Jerry King “How much does it cost to cut down a tree?” Well, that is a “million-dollar question.” To help answer the question, let’s go through a hypothetical scenario. You have a neighbor, Mr. Beaver, who lives nearby on Spring Lake, which sits behind your home. Now, Mr. Beaver decides to […] The post How Much Does It Cost to Cut Down a Tree? appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Actor says it is ‘more important than ever’ to safeguard city’s parks as report finds more than 50 are at riskDame Judi Dench has called for greater protections for London’s parks and green spaces, as research finds more than 50 of the city’s parks are at risk from development.The Oscar-winning actor has long loved trees, and in 2017 fronted a BBC documentary about her love for them. She plants a tree every time a close friend or relative dies, including for her late husband, Michael Williams, who died in 2001, and the actor Natasha Richardson, who was killed in a skiing accident in 2009, and one for her brother Jeffery Dench, who died in 2014. Continue reading…

An analysis led by the University of Leicester shows that the African continent lost around 106 billion kilograms of forest biomass each year between 2010 and 2017. New research suggests that Africa’s …

Increasing heat and drought are putting our forests under stress. Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) have used drone imagery to investigate how native tree species are responding to climate change. This measurement method opens up new possibilities for monitoring forests over large areas and documenting species-specific strategies for coping with drought.

Prosecution over death of Quinto Inuma Alvarado seen as test of ability to curb attacks on environmental defendersFive men are due to go on trial on Tuesday over the killing of an Amazonian Indigenous leader, in a legal case that could test whether Peru can hold perpetrators accountable for violence linked to illegal logging and drug trafficking in one of the world’s most dangerous regions for environmental defenders.The Kichwa tribal leader Quinto Inuma Alvarado was killed on 29 November 2023, after repeatedly denouncing illegal activity within his community’s territory. Continue reading…

On a cold February day, “Derek,” my groundie, stopped working and began complaining of stomach pains. The other climber and I were aloft pruning a massive pin oak. I told him he would be able to drive himself home in about 10 minutes, after I hit the ground. “Following the rope to its termination, […] The post Would You Recognize Drug Addiction on Your Tree Crew? appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Buxton, Derbyshire: Others are taller, wider, older, but our varied stock of willows have a generosity that sets them apartUsually in this country when we think about important trees, we focus on height, girth, age, visual impact – in short, their material properties. Few therefore would probably name willow as a number one British species.Willows often have no central trunk as in our archetypal tree model, and few specimens are more than 7 metres tall. Yet there is a sphere in which willows are pre‑eminent: more invertebrates live on them (452 species) than any other trees, including oaks, their closest contenders (423). In his glorious guide Trees of Britain and Ireland, Jon Stokes points out that 160 lichens thrive on willows too. Continue reading…

For decades researchers in northern Norway had tried to bring back vital kelp forests after overfishing damaged marine ecosystems. Now a simple solution is proving successful.

Native trees, such as oaks, have long held a special place in our culture and countryside. Now, researchers have shown that these trees are also important to woodland birds and their offspring.

In the new year, TCIA will be watching two policy developments closely: OSHA’s proposed workplace heat injury and illness rule and ongoing efforts to expand and reform the H-2B visa program. To better understand what may happen in 2026, TCIA has outlined the latest developments in the heat-safety and guest-worker visa-policy spaces below. OSHA’s workplace […] The post Looking Ahead to 2026: OSHA Heat Rule & Guest Worker Visa Programs appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Discover Earth’s most enchanting forests, from Europe’s ancient Białowieża to California’s towering redwoods. Explore Australia’s primeval Daintree, Japan’s moss-laden Yakushima, and Costa Rica’s …

Cranbrook, Kent: I have a stretch of leggy hawthorn that needs attention, so I head out into the cold with my axe and billhookWire netting is everywhere in the Kent Weald – barbed boundaries to ancient pastures where sheep and cattle still idly graze. But what did farmers do for the hundreds of years before stock fencing was invented?Hedges, so rooted in what we wistfully consider to be our natural landscape, are in fact human-made features, planted almost solely for the purpose of enclosure. Unmanaged hedges are not a permanent solution, though: young trees mature, trunks become bare, and animal‑sized holes appear, rendering them useless. To remedy this, the practice of hedge laying was developed; unlike bricklaying, it is an act of maintenance rather than creation. Continue reading…

Bamboo shoots may be far more than a crunchy side dish. A comprehensive review found they can help control blood sugar, support heart and gut health, and reduce inflammation and oxidative stress. Laboratory and human studies also suggest bamboo may promote beneficial gut bacteria and reduce toxic compounds in cooked foods. However, bamboo must be pre-boiled to avoid natural toxins.

Reliable predictions of how the Earth’s climate will respond as atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase are based on climate models. These models, in turn, are based on data from past geological times in which the CO2 content in the Earth’s atmosphere changed in a similar way to today and the near future. The data originate from measurable indicators (proxies), the interpretation of which is used to reconstruct the climate of the past.

Victoria has just suffered some of its worst bushfires since the Black Summer fires of 2019–20. Over 400,000 hectares are estimated to have burnt so far, an area more than five times larger than Singapore.

New research shows tropical forests can recover twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen. Scientists followed forest regrowth across Central America for decades and found that nitrogen plays a decisive role in how quickly trees return. Faster regrowth also means more carbon captured from the atmosphere. The study points to smarter reforestation strategies that work with nature rather than relying on fertilizers.

New research shows tropical forests can recover twice as fast after deforestation when their soils contain enough nitrogen. Scientists followed forest regrowth across Central America for decades and found that nitrogen plays a decisive role in how quickly trees return. Faster regrowth also means more carbon captured from the atmosphere. The study points to smarter reforestation strategies that work with nature rather than relying on fertilizers.

Environmental phenomena and their consequences can disrupt social structures and destabilize political systems. An interdisciplinary research team demonstrated this using the example of the late Tang dynasty in medieval China.

As climate change drives more frequent and severe wildfires across boreal forests in Alaska and northwestern Canada, scientists are asking a critical question: Will these ecosystems continue to store carbon or become a growing source of carbon emissions?

What are the key ingredients for making a great arboricultural salesperson? I have seen surefire, can’t-miss candidates crash on the rocks of life. On the other hand, I’ve seen people I thought had no shot become stars. I have had the privilege of working with some incredible arboricultural salespeople, people who sell a lot of […] The post The Sales-Rep Recipe appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

As climate change drives more frequent and severe wildfires across boreal forests in Alaska and northwestern Canada, scientists are asking a critical question: Will these ecosystems continue to store …

For many years, I lived in the Indian city of Chennai, where the summer temperatures can reach up to 44° C. With a population of 4.5 million, this coastal city is humid and hot.

St Michael’s Mount launches major operation to clear up devastation caused by 112mph windsThe tidal island of St Michael’s Mount in the far south-west of Britain is usually a place of peace and quiet.But it has become a hive of noisy activity as gardeners equipped with chainsaws and wood chippers get to grips with the devastating damage caused by Storm Goretti. Continue reading…

Bob Debus says operations at Glenbog state forest on south coast show native forest logging is untenableFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastA former New South Wales Labor environment minister has called on the government to halt imminent logging in a forest on the state’s south coast, after citizen scientists recorded 102 trees that they say are home to endangered greater gliders.Bob Debus, who served as environment minister in the Carr and Iemma governments, also accused the NSW Forestry Corporation (NSWFC) of being found in breach of its own regulations so frequently that the “practice is essentially part of its business model”. Continue reading…

For thousands of years, wildfires on Alaska’s North Slope were rare. That changed sharply in the 20th century, when warming temperatures dried soils and fueled the spread of shrubs, setting the stage for intense fires. Peat cores and satellite data reveal that fire activity since the 1950s has reached record levels. The findings suggest the Arctic is entering a new, more dangerous fire era.

ACF analysis finds amount of habitat approved by Albanese government for land-clearing hit a 15-year high last yearFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesSign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter hereMore than 57,000 hectares of threatened species habitat was approved for destruction by the Australian government in 2025 – the most in 15 years, according to analysis by the Australian Conservation Foundation.The ACF’s latest annual “extinction wrapped” report has revealed that the threatened species habitat greenlit for land-clearing was about 10 times the size of Sydney Harbour – more than double the 2024 figure, and over five times the 10,426 hectares approved for razing in 2023.Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading…

On September 28, 2024, Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. The intensity and size of this storm created an immense swath of damage across, destroying vast portions of the Virginia Creeper Trail. 446 days later, Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin, USDA Forest Service Chief Tom Schultz, joined other dignitaries to break ground in Damascus, Virginia,, for a project to repair trails, bridges, and roads destroyed during the storm. (USDA Forest Service Video by Preston Keres)

Young tropical forests play a crucial role in slowing climate change. Growing trees absorb carbon dioxide from the air, using photosynthesis to build it into their roots, trunks, and branches, where they can store carbon for decades or even centuries. But, according to a new study, this CO2 absorption may be slowed down by the lack of a crucial element that trees need to grow: nitrogen.

Manulife is the first corporate partner to implement veritree’s Smart Forest technology in sites across the globe veritree’s technology will …

A tiny beetle responsible for killing hundreds of thousands of oak trees in Southern California has reached Ventura County, marking a troubling expansion.

Have you ever considered a walk in a tree-shaded park to relieve stress? If you have, you’re hardly alone, according to new University of Florida research published in the journal Trees, Forests and People.

Global efforts to reduce pollution will not be enough to mitigate the worst effects of climate change, scientists say. We will also need to extract over 10 gigatons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere every year for the next century. However, currently only two gigatons are being removed annually, so we have to rapidly scale up existing methods or come up with new ideas.

Vermeer ML180 mini loader Vermeer’s new ML180 mini loader, featuring advanced electric-over-hydraulic controls, a suspended undercarriage and air-ride suspension technology, is designed to help address persistent operator fatigue and productivity challenges in traditional stand-on mini loaders while elevating the performance that contractors expect from a mini loader. The ML180’s electric-over-hydraulic control system is […] The post Vermeer ML180 mini loader appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

It was a perfect summer Saturday in Medford, Massachusetts, a small suburb just west of Boston. Steve Mauras, fire department district chief of neighboring Somerville, was driving by a municipal park while running errands. He glanced at the impressive oak tree that towers over the athletic fields and noticed several people suspended from ropes high […] The post Collaboration as a Skill Multiplier: Teaming Up With First Responders on Aerial Rescue appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Early detection of declining forest health is critical for the timely intervention and treatment of droughted and diseased flora, especially in areas prone to wildfires. Obtaining a reliable measure of whole-ecosystem health before it is too late, however, is an ongoing challenge for forest ecologists.

Australian researchers have discovered a hidden climate superpower of trees. Their bark harbors trillions of microbes that help scrub the air of greenhouse and toxic gases.

Vast swathes of the country’s trees have been killed off by droughts and infestations, in a trend sweeping across Europe. A shift towards more biodiverse cultivation could offer answersEven the intense green of late spring cannot mask the dead trees in the Harz mountains. Standing upright across the gentle peaks in northern Germany, thousands of skeletal trunks mark the remnants of a once great spruce forest.Since 2018, the region has been ravaged by a tree-killing bark beetle outbreak, made possible by successive droughts and heatwaves. It has transformed a landscape known for its verdant beauty into one dominated by a sickly grey. Continue reading…

Robert Phillips It goes without saying that the tree care industry is filled with many people who are unsung heroes in the field of arboriculture. Robert Phillips most certainly is one of them. In this day and age of “instant heroes” provided to us through the world of social media – in which […] The post Robert Phillips Is One of Tree Care’s Unsung Heroes appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Scientists from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, and their international partners, reveal today their pick of the top 10 plants and fungi named new to science in 2025. From “camouflaged” plants to spider-infecting parasites, the annual list underscores how much of the natural world has yet to be described and highlights RBG Kew’s role as a conservation charity tackling the extinction crisis globally.

One Toronto park is about to look a lot less green as Metrolinx moves forward with the removal of almost 330 trees in order to make room for a new …

Climate change is causing trees to sprout earlier in spring. Nevertheless, some tree species are growing less. A study by the Swiss Federal Research Institute WSL shows that increasing heat and drought are slowing down the growth of the most common tree species in Switzerland. This has consequences for carbon storage and forestry.

Understanding the structure, chemistry, and strength of wood is a complex puzzle with real-world impacts. At the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory, scientists combine a century of expertise with the latest technology to discover innovative ways to use forest resources while maintaining the health of America’s forests.

Wood preservation research at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory is conducted in different regions of the United States to better understand how termites and fungi impact wood decay under differing environmental stressors. Ranging from decades-long field tests to military packaging research, this work ensures that everyday wood products are safe and durable.

Can a tree ring solve a murder? From assisting with criminal cases and mid-air collisions to identifying wood species to combat illegal logging, the wood anatomy and forensic research done at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory draws upon one of the largest and oldest collections of wood and plant species from around the world.

What happens to small diameter waste wood from forests? Research at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory is finding new and innovative ways to transform these materials into nanocellulose products. From strengthening cement to extending shelf life of food, the Lab is turning forest byproducts into high-performance materials of tomorrow.

Fire testing is expensive and complex, which is why industry leaders look to the Forest Service for expertise. The Fire Lab at the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory conducts research that influences building codes and furthers fire science knowledge to ensure safety of buildings that include wood components.

What do exploding maple baseball bats and high-rise timber towers have in common? Both depend upon rigorous testing by the Engineering and Remote Sensing Laboratory. Through the application of a century of wood science expertise, USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory scientists develop codes and standards to keep athletes, homeowners, and city-dwellers safe around the globe.

For over a century, the USDA Forest Service Forest Products Laboratory has been on the cutting edge of wood science. From understanding the microscopic chemistry of wood fibers to pioneering structural engineering of timber high rises, discover how Forest Products Laboratory research touches the daily lives of people across the country.

Across Australia, forests are quietly changing. Trees that once stood for decades or centuries are now dying at an accelerating rate. And this is not because of fire, storms, or logging. The chronic stress of a warming climate is killing them.

Scientists have created a new way to watch plants breathe—live and in high definition—while tracking exactly how much carbon and water they exchange with the air. The breakthrough could help unlock crops that grow smarter, stronger, and more drought-resistant.

Scientists have discovered that wildfires release far more air-polluting gases than previously estimated. Many of these hidden emissions can transform into fine particles that are dangerous to breathe. The study shows wildfire pollution rivals human-made emissions in some parts of the world. This helps explain why wildfire smoke can linger and worsen air quality long after the flames are gone.

Across Africa, baobabs have rich symbolic meaning, but the breakneck expansion of the DRC’s capital has reduced their number in the city centre to oneThe older inhabitants of Kinshasa can remember when trees shaded its main avenues and thick-trunked baobabs stood in front of government offices.Jean Mangalibi, 60, from his plant nursery tucked among grey tower blocks, says the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s frenzied expansion has all but erased its greenery. “We’re destroying the city,” he says, over the sound of drilling from a nearby building site. Continue reading…

Decay is a common defect that occurs in all parts of a tree. Decayed wood has very little strength and often leads to hollows, cavities or both. When decay or a hollow is present in a tree part, its load-bearing capacity is reduced. The amount of reduction depends on the extent of decay – how […] The post How Consistently Do Arborists Assess Likelihood of Stem Failure Due to Decay? appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

ISA offers a variety of educational materials and products to help arborists improve their arboricultural knowledge and experience. Every month, we will feature a product or group of products. In …

Australia’s forests are losing trees more rapidly as the climate warms, a new study examining decades of data said Tuesday, warning the trend was likely a “widespread phenomenon.”

Prefabricated housing holds the potential to erect both economic opportunities and affordable housing in Canada’s far northwest, tribal leaders believe. Using low-quality timber sourced locally, the Nak’adzli Whuton, a first nation located near Fort St. James in British Columbia, are creating mass timber panels that can be quickly assembled into a standard building. The Nak’adzli The post First Nation Innovates Prefabricated Housing System from Locally-Sourced Wood appeared first on Good News Network.

A gardener and small farm owner shares how planting whips grew a mature woodland, seasonal tree picks and practical winter planting and care tips for home woodlands.

Built upon SGTM’s foundation of technologies (subject to provisional Patents 1-26 pending issuance), Tele-Arborist™ is designed to serve as a gateway for converting waste into value. The platform …

Inkpen, Berkshire: The felted mouse choir, the sleeping fawn … a lot of it has meaning to us. At least the greenery goes up in a blaze of gloryBy the time you read this, we’ll be taking down the Christmas decorations. I don’t like to let them go. I love the mischief of the days and nights over Christmastide. They sit outside ordinary time, disappearing and extending of their own accord. I enjoy the historical ambiguity over when Twelfth Night falls: the 5th, or this night? I don’t want to be pressed by traditions or superstitions, making up my own ways to say goodbye to the festive period – yet still, I’m wary of them.We used to cut our tree from the estate we lived on, but in recent years we’ve chosen one from Willis Farm, high on the downs, where they’re grown sustainably, with wildlife in mind. Ours is a colourful tree. Each bauble has meaning and I’m sorry to see them go. Some are from childhood; a treasured wooden goose, and a beaver nestled in a walnut shell, came from a Christmas shop in Banff, Alberta, bought on a day off from ranching in 1989. Continue reading…

As temperatures rise around the world, city heat becomes increasingly unbearable during the hottest seasons. The urban heat island effect causes cities to become significantly warmer than surrounding rural areas due to human activities and building materials that trap heat.

The January 2026 Issue of Arboriculture & Urban Forestry is now online!  In this issue:  Urban Tree Diversity: Key Lessons from the UTD5 ConferenceDeep Root Zone Affects Probability of …

Iron Bull custom hoppers for firewood Iron Bull Manufacturing, maker of standard scrap and waste hoppers, now offers custom hoppers for specific applications such as firewood. These purpose-built hoppers are available in self-dumping, bottom-drop or 180-degree dumping designs, depending on the site-specific requirements. They are manufactured to specifications after extensive customer consultations on […] The post Iron Bull custom hoppers for firewood appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Mousley Bottom, Derbyshire: This area was a literal dump 40 years ago, devoid of life. But time and a dedicated council have worked their magicStand in this wood by the River Goyt, listening to the basso profundo of ravens overhead, and you could imagine that this place is some long-tempered blend of town and country.In one sense it is. High overhead to the east is the busy Albion Road bridge leading into New Mills town centre. Turn north, and in front of you trees stretch all the way up the hillside, where there are redwings gorging on holly berries and the first pre-spring sounds of wren song that even the rush of the river cannot drown. Continue reading…

Moss may look insignificant, but it can carry a hidden forensic fingerprint. Because different moss species thrive in very specific micro-environments, tiny fragments can reveal exactly where a person has been. Researchers reviewing 150 years of cases found moss has helped solve crimes across multiple countries, including one case where it led investigators directly to a buried child. The study urges law enforcement to pay closer attention to these silent witnesses.

Spruce bark beetles don’t just tolerate their host tree’s chemical defenses—they actively reshape them into stronger antifungal protections. These stolen defenses help shield the beetles from infection, but one fungus has evolved a way to neutralize them. By detoxifying the beetles’ chemical armor, the fungus can successfully invade and kill its host. The discovery sheds light on an unseen forest arms race and may improve biological pest control.

Jobber Tap to Pay and progress invoicing Jobber recently launched Tap to Pay and progress invoicing, two new solutions designed to simplify how tree care professionals manage payments. The Tap to Pay tool allows service pros to accept contactless payments directly through the Jobber mobile app using only a smartphone, eliminating the need […] The post Jobber Tap to Pay and progress invoicing appeared first on Tree Care Industry Magazine.

Law’s original author points to removal of obligations for downstream traders to verify origin of commoditiesIt was hailed by campaigners around the world as a game-changing piece of legislation that would help stop deforestation.But when a bullet-ridden version of the EU’s deforestation regulation, once supposed to be the crown of the Green Deal, finally limped across the legislative line this month, not even its architect was smiling, and one politician said it had been pretty much “dismantled”. Continue reading…

Bradford v Hull | Barking up the wrong tree | AI fails | Narrow margin | Flipping heck | Puzzles the catSo, Bradford City supporters are chanting “City of culture, you’ll never sing that” (‘It was empowering’: Bradford considers the legacy of its city of culture year, 29 December). During Hull’s admirable tenure as city of culture (2017-20), Hull City fans’ arguably more witty chant was: “You’re only here for the culture!”Margaret PinderBeverley, East Yorkshire• The Royal Horticultural Society is encouraging gardeners to plant small trees to help biodiversity (Plant ‘tredges’ to boost England’s tree cover, gardeners urged, 25 December). A quick search for Crataegus laevigata, the only tree named in the article, shows it grows to 8m x 8m. How big do they think our gardens are?Kathryn SchofieldLondon Continue reading…

Vast swaths of the ponderosa pine forests that blanket Colorado’s Front Range mountains could turn rust-colored and die over the next five years as pine beetles begin to spread aggressively, new federal forecasts show.

Spruce bark is rich in phenolic compounds that protect trees from pathogenic fungi. A research team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemical Ecology in Jena has investigated how these plant defenses function within the food web, particularly in spruce bark beetles (Ips typographus), which ingest the compounds through their diet. Could the beetles use substances from the spruce’s defenses to protect themselves against pathogenic fungi?

Planet’s oldest bee species and primary pollinators were under threat from deforestation and competition from ‘killer bees’Stingless bees from the Amazon have become the first insects to be granted legal rights anywhere in the world, in a breakthrough supporters hope will be a catalyst for similar moves to protect bees elsewhere.It means that across a broad swathe of the Peruvian Amazon, the rainforest’s long-overlooked native bees – which, unlike their cousins the European honeybees, have no sting – now have the right to exist and to flourish. Continue reading…

Researchers from the Institute of Applied Ecology of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have proposed a structured framework to evaluate the nitrogen (N) status and nitrogen balance of forest ecosystems amid rapid global environmental change.

Old Sulehay Forest, Northamptonshire: Distant church bells are about all I can hear as I stand below a 500-year-old small-leaved lime – a tree that may be making an unlikely comebackOn a bright winter’s day, I stand at the centre of a ring of multi‑stemmed small-leaved limes. Their gnarled bases are furred with moss and feathered with sprays of epicormic growth. Lime trees are notoriously hard to age, but this one is probably more than 500 years old, shaped and reshaped by centuries of coppicing, now with a vast canopy stretching nearly 20 metres.Looking up, I marvel at the intricate fractal lattice of branches and twigs of each tree. Every stem holds its own space, the crowns kept neatly apart from their neighbours – a quiet phenomenon known as crown shyness. This seems somehow appropriate, given how quiet the woodland is. It feels emptied, with only the rush of a chill wind numbing my bare fingertips, a peal of distant church bells, and a robin offering its muted winter song. Continue reading…

Armed groups have moved in to the space left by the Farc after the civil war, cutting down rainforest to control land and build thousands of kilometres of smuggling routesHigh above the Colombian Amazon, Rodrigo Botero peers out of a small aircraft as the rainforest canopy unfolds below – an endless sea of green interrupted by stark, widening patches of brown. As director of the Foundation for Conservation and Sustainable Development (FCDS), he has spent years mapping the transformation of this fragile landscape from the air.His team has logged more than 150 overflights, covering 30,000 miles (50,000km) to track deforestation advancing along the roads, illicit crops and the shifting frontiers of human settlement. “We now have the highest road density in the entire Amazon,” says Botero. Continue reading…

Low-cost tech and joined-up funding have reduced illegal logging, mining and poaching in the Darién Gap – it’s a success story that could stop deforestation worldwideThere are no roads through the Darién Gap. This vast impenetrable forest spans the width of the land bridge between South and Central America, but there is almost no way through it: hundreds have lost their lives trying to cross it on foot.Its size and hostility have shielded it from development for millennia, protecting hundreds of species – from harpy eagles and giant anteaters to jaguars and red-crested tamarins – in one of the most biodiverse places on Earth. But it has also made it incredibly difficult to protect. Looking after 575,000 hectares (1,420,856 acres) of beach, mangrove and rainforest with just 20 rangers often felt impossible, says Segundo Sugasti, the director of Darién national park. Like tropical forests all over the world, it has been steadily shrinking, with at least 15% lost to logging, mining and cattle ranching in two decades. Continue reading…