Rising temperatures are threatening UK trees – but these species could save our forests
Most of the trees on the list grow naturally here, but some come from warmer or drier regions, such as the Corsican pine in the Mediterranean or the coast redwood in North America.
Their inclusion reflects growing interest in assisted migration; This means introducing tree species now that are suitable for the climate the UK is expected to have in the future.
The UK Species Reintroduction Taskforce, an independent advisory group, guides conservation and species translocation efforts.
A member of the task force, Dr. Dalrymple told the BBC: “We’ve been tracking biodiversity loss for years… should we just watch it happen or should we take action before it’s too late?”
One suggestion would be to plant the seed of the common oak, which currently grows on the border between Georgia and Azerbaijan, in the UK. It grows in soil and environmental conditions similar to southern England and could be used to sustain future oak populations in the UK.
But assisted migration also brings challenges.
Dr Tew, of Forestry UK, said extreme weather conditions in the UK, such as increasing spring frosts and subsequent heatwaves, were bringing conditions “to which it is really difficult for trees to adapt”.
Although some tree species may thrive over the next 50 to 100 years, they may not currently be suitable for the weather conditions in the UK.
