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Action Oak Continues to Protect British Native Oaks
Action Oak is a unique collaboration of charities, governments, landowners, and research institutions dedicated to protecting native UK oaks (Quercus robur and Q. petraea). The idea (or acorn!) of Action Oak was first planted at a Plant Health and Biosecurity meeting hosted at Highgrove by our now King in 2016. It was at this meeting that there was an articulation of the threats our native UK oaks are facing and the realization that, if we don’t take action, the population would be at significant risk of the problems we have seen affect our ash (Fraxinus excelsior) and elm (Ulmus sp.) populations through ash dieback and Dutch elm disease. Two years later, in 2018, Action Oak was officially launched at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Since then, we have achieved a great deal: research, profiles, sharing expertise, and building networks in pursuit of protecting our iconic gentle giants of the landscape who do so much more than the eye can easily see.
In Great Britain, 16% of our broadleaf woodland population is oak. It is estimated that there are 170 million oak trees in woodlands and 2.3 million trees outside of woodlands. Further, England has more ancient native oaks than can be found in the rest of Europe combined. They are also the heavyweights of our ecological world, sustaining much biodiversity. Some 2,300 species are known to use native oak trees in Great Britain. Of these, 326 are obligate species (found only on oaks), while 229 are highly associated with oak. The social and environmental value of oak woodlands in Great Britain has been estimated at £320 million (USD 405 million) per year, which reflects a combination of recreation, landscape, carbon sequestration, air pollution absorption, and elements of biodiversity value. You can read more about this in our Evidence Summary.
We have also just published our 2023-24 Annual Report, in which you can read about the research that is currently in progress under the Action Oak banner. Our research is diverse, including titles such as: “Reducing the impact of climate change-induced storm events on native UK oak health”, “Does susceptibility to Acute Oak Decline have a genetic basis?”, “Demystifying masting”, and “Genetic characterisation of oak (Quercus spp.) for breeding and conservation”. Our research is UK-focused in pursuit of our mission to lead the vital work and research necessary to protect our native oak trees and safeguard their future. However, we are also proactive in developing international links with others doing research into oaks or other species-specific research so that we can connect, share expertise and challenges, and build a community of minds in these areas.
We are about to begin work on a consultant-led paper, “The State of the UK’s Oaks”. This will complement our Evidence Summary, Knowledge Review, and Annual Reports by going into detail on the importance of oak, its diversity, the condition of our oak population, and the threats faced, all leading to what is being done and what we must do to continue to protect our native giants.
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If you would like to make a donation to help us continue with our vital work, you can do so via the “Donate” oak leaf on our website, www.actionoak.org. Finally, if you would like to get in touch to connect with us about the research you are involved in or discuss anything in more detail, please email me.
