Our research woodland has just opened a new public pathway! We're excited to open this first new path along the edge of our growing woodland, as well as adding a new sign to help visitors understand some of the research we're doing at #GairWood 🧪🌍🌳
Wooden post outside Gair Wood near King Lane with the symbols marking walking routes and arrows for the Leeds Country Way and the Meanwood Valley Trail
A new public footpath has opened at Gair Wood in North Leeds, connecting with two popular routes, helping visitors avoid walking alongside busy roads 🌳👣
More than 60k trees were planted there three years ago to enhance the local environment and provide a valuable resource for research and teaching.
🌳Free Webinar Alert!🌳 We're excited to join the Improving Access To Trees webinar next week (April 22nd) from White Rose Forest x Green Streets, where @ellesmith.bsky.social, will present recent findings and upcoming research. 🧪🌍🌐 www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/white-rose...
The University of Leeds and the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) are currently hosting an international Workshop on forest fires, smoke and air quality in Brazil! More info here:
The Research summary posted today in The Applied Ecologist! appliedecologistsblog.com/2026/02/19/p... @aer-ese-bes.bsky.social
#woodlandcreation #woodlandtrust #naturerecovery #soilcarbon
(1/4) Our new study in @aer-ese-bes.bsky.social shows that well designed upland #woodlandcreation can avoid high #soilcarbon soils, a key aim of the #WoodlandTrust woodland creation guide principles and UKFS guidance. dx.doi.org/10.1002/2688...
If you fancy a bit of non-native tree removal, tree & wildflower planting, or tree tube removal use the link below to book onto a day. Or get in touch for more info: j.h.hodgson@leeds.ac.uk
@naturalengland.bsky.social @earthandenvleeds.bsky.social
bag.leeds.ac.uk/projects/res...
Decorative LEAF Day 2026 logo
This week we're excitedly preparing for LEAF Day 2026 - our one day annual meeting for folks interested in trees and woodlands!
If you're based at the Uni of Leeds, are free on Friday, and that sounds like you, then check out the programme and register at leaf.leeds.ac.uk/events/leaf-...
A new study from @ellesmith.bsky.social highlights consistently low levels of access to trees and greenspaces across English cities. Read more about it here: leaf.leeds.ac.uk/news/english... .🌐🌍🧪
@lemonyue.bsky.social also found that changes in global biomass burning emissions have partially offset the regional warming arising from anthropogenic aerosol reductions during this time 🔥
@lemonyue.bsky.social found that the reduction in SO2 emissions from China contributed a global radiative effect equal in magnitude to that from SO2 emission changes from the entire rest of the world over this period! ⚖️
Very pleased to share the first paper from @lemonyue.bsky.social's PhD project! Yue used #UKESM to explore the climate impact of recent aerosol emission reductions in #China 🏭💻🌏
Volunteers in wet weather gear, planting seedlings under a vivid rainbow
This #NationalTreeWeek we're celebrating all the research and practical conservation and restoration work that's done across our group. For example, a massive thankyou to our regular Friends of #GairWood group for their hard work planting a new hedge at our research woodland over the weekend!
Seedling growing in the forest
University of Birmingham, UK, are advertising a permanant position (Assistant or Associate Professor) in *Forests under Global Change*. A wide net has been cast - ecology, physiology, modelling, remote sensing, functioning, biodiversity, management... 🌲🌱🌳🌳🦌🌳🛰️🐿️🌲🔬🌳
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPS459/a...
Applications now open! 💻
🎄Is your #Christmas tree talking to you - and if it was, would you want to know?!
Translating the bio-signs of your festive fir, ecologist @canopyrobin.com brings a Quantum Qristmas to #Farsley @oldwoollen.bsky.social!
2nd Dec, tickets at tinyurl.com/ye5dwtm5 🧠 Bring your brain & pull up a pint! 🍻
🌍 New Toolkit Alert!
Tropical #deforestation is heating up local climates - with serious risks for #health, agriculture, and climate resilience 🌳🌡️
🔗 cemac.github.io/deforest-web/map.html
@envleeds.bsky.social @priestleycentre.bsky.social @metoffice.gov.uk @domspracklen.bsky.social
Deforestation is leading to temperature increases of up to 5°C in some tropical regions, according to data revealed in a new interactive map
Released just before #COP30, the map uses the work of Priestley members @drcarlyreddington.bsky.social & Dominick Spracklen
climate.leeds.ac.uk/news/ahead-o...
Using #GairWood as a living laboratory, this PhD project will shed light on the above questions - follow the link for more information and to find out how to apply:
yes-dtn.ac.uk/research/dev...
Applications open 17th Nov 2025, closing date 7th Jan 2026. 💻
Including, how do these tree mixtures affect:
- the initial survival and growth of the trees 📏
- the greenhouse gas balance of the trees and their surrounding soil 📊
- the microclimate they create 🌡️
- how the microbial community in the soil changes as the trees establish 🦠
Where trees are directly planted, diverse species mixtures are increasingly being used to maximise resilience of the overall woodland to pests, diseases and climate change - but there's lots of detail that we don't yet fully understand.
The climate and biodiversity crises have driven global, national and regional targets to restore landscapes and create woodlands 🌳 In the UK, new woodlands are being established in a range of ways from direct planting through to approaches that allow trees to regenerate naturally 🌱
📢 PhD opportunity! 📢 Join me, @ejduncan.bsky.social, Tom Sloan + the wider #GairWood team to investigate climate-resilient woodlands in the UK 🌳 with @yes-dtn.bsky.social @earthandenvleeds.bsky.social @leedsleaf.bsky.social
Fancy doing a PhTree?
Here's a thread of some fantastic PhD opportunities advertising right now to research trees and forests! 🧵🌍🌐🧪🌳
New study from @treeswithhazel.bsky.social! Increasing UK woodland area from 13% to 19% will likely increase biogenic emissions but by avoiding exclusive planting of the very highest emitters, we can ensure that new woodlands deliver for climate + nature, whilst minimising impacts on air quality ⬇️
FACTCHECK: What the Climate Change Act actually means for the UK – and what is a load of old nonsense
Really enjoyed putting this together with colleagues, inc learning new things about the fascinating backstory to the Act
Feat. OG authors of the Act & more
www.carbonbrief.org/factcheck-wh...
I’m really excited to say the first paper of my PhD has been published in Biogeociences today!
The paper examines the impact of net-zero aligned afforestation in the UK on biogenic emissions. 🌳 bg.copernicus.org/articles/22/...
The Amazon forest plays a critical role in the water cycle. A new study shows recent deforestation has caused reduced dry season rainfall across the southern Amazon. New story from @mongabay.com
news.mongabay.com/2025/09/more...
It was an honour to be at the launch of the Ingleborough NNR into the King's Series of NNRs earlier this month - check out the blog below for more on what the #WildIngleborough partnership has achieved since forming in 2021 🌳🦋🐦