by Rachel Jenkins, Woolhope Naturalists Field Club
Oak tree health was a key theme at the recent Hereford Parklands Conference held in Hereford, UK. It was organised by the Woolhope Naturalists Field Club as part of their 175th anniversary celebrations. Running over three days, 1-3 July 2026, the conference brought together 180 landowners, land managers, scientists, lay enthusiasts, and others with expert knowledge of Herefordshire’s parklands.
The conference theme was ‘Heritage and Future’ with morning lectures and afternoon site visits. Speakers addressed cultural and historical topics including the challenges posed by climate change, tree diseases, and overgrazing; and also explored strategies for restoring parkland habitats, enhancing resilience, and adapting to future threats. Many leading-edge insights will have widespread application, not only to the county’s parklands but also to healthy landscapes and thriving biodiversity across the UK.
Oak-related talks included:
- Acute Oak Decline with OAK-HOPE network lead Sandra Denman, Forest Research
- The ecology of the British oak with Ruth Mitchell, James Hutton Institute
- Engineering the oak microbiome with James McDonald, University of Birmingham
- Social dimensions of oak landscape management with Mariella Marzano, Forest Research
- Working with stakeholder scientists to monitor oak health with Nathan Brown, Forest Research
Sandra and Carrie Brady (University of the West of England) also delivered a plenary session on the future of research into oak tree health. You can see the full conference programme here.
The afternoon site visits also provided opportunities to see oak trees ‘in the wild’ in nearby parklands. Site visits included Brampton Bryan, Gatley Park, Moccas, Eastnor and Bromesberrow, Kentchurch and Holme Lacy where the tour guides highlighted relevant geology, archaeology, landscape history, biodiversity, treescapes and challenges including AOD and mistletoe.
The site visits also included an opportunity to visit ‘Jack o’ Kent’s Oak’, one of the the Britain’s largest ancient oak trees. The tree is in private parkland and can only be visited with permission. The tree is also notable for hosting Oak Polypore (Buglossoporus quercinus), a fungus which is so rare that it is protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act. No-one knows how the tree got its name but Jack o’ Kent is a well-known character of Herefordshire folklore fabled for making deals with, and outwitting, the devil.
A book based on the conference is now in progress with the speakers working on their chapters, and a plan to publish in early 2027. The conference was made possible that to the support of Herefordshire and Worcestershire Gardens Trust, Herefordshire Community Foundation, Hereford Council, Howard Bulmer Charitable Trust, The Mumford Memorial Trust and the Scottish Forestry Trust.
Participants represented a wide range of organisations including Action Oak, Ancient Tree Forum, Brampton Bryan Estate, Brockhampton and Perrystone Estates, Colwell Orchard Group, CPRE, DEFRA, Duchy of Cornwall, Eastnor Estate, Forest Research, Forestry Commission, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Gardens Trust, Herefordshire Council, Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, Historic England, Holme Lacy College, House of Commons, House of Lords, Jackson Property, Natural England, Nature Scotland, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust, Royal Holloway, Royal National College, Treecosystems Ltd, University of Birmingham, University of London, University of Nottingham, University of West of England, Urban Forestry, Whitfield Estate, Woodland Trust, Woolhope Club, Worcestershire County Council, and University of Cardiff.