Farm Woodlands Information Note: Common Pests and diseases of trees

Farm Woodlands Information Note: Pests and diseases

Trees are at their most vulnerable to pests and diseases at establishment when they are trying to grow. Damage by pests diverts a tree’s resources from growth to repair, taking the tree longer to grow. If pest damage is severe enough or is continual/repeated, it will ultimately kill the tree; diseases are more likely to kill the tree. It’s therefore important to understand what the common pests and diseases are and how to protect against them. Doing so reduces the costs of establishment by avoiding the replacement of large numbers of failed trees. This information sheet looks at the most common pests and diseases.