Death was a reminder to us all (From Warrington Guardian)

Death was a reminder to us all

THE tragic death of a boy in the Dunham estate during gales last month reminded us how dangerous trees could be.

It is not just severe weather that has an impact on trees - temperature and water supplies can be major factors too.

In June the conference Trees in a Climate Change will examine such issues.

According to reports from 2002 climate change is likely to be particularly severe for trees.

The changes could include warmer and wetter winters with hotter and drier summers.

Also, there could be a shortage of available water but an increased risk of winter flooding.

Then there is the continued expansion of the plant-growing season, which has already extended by about three weeks since the mid-20th century.

Finally, climate change will bring threats from new pests and diseases.

We already have approximately four billion trees in the UK.

But when we plant new ones the right choice is essential because they have life spans that can easily exceed 100 years.

Once trees are planted and established it is very difficult to alter anything.

Climate change is therefore likely to present both problems and opportunities for plant growth, especially with regard to the availability of water.

No species of trees are currently threatened in the UK, but the distribution of them is likely to change.

Readers interested in such changes should watch a DVD of BBC Two's landmark series to mark the bicentenary of the Royal Horticultural Society.

Each programme represents a different period in the past two centuries of garden design history.

It took two years to produce and follows the footsteps of gardeners, designers and botanists of the past 200 years.

In the series - called Gardens - Diarmuid Gavin reveals tricks such as recreating the Matterhorn in a late Victorian back yard.

Jane Owen also tours the country and explores trend-setting gardens throughout the past 200 years.

She learns about the eccentric plant hunters who risked their lives to bring exotic plants back from around the world.

The historical gardens produced for the programme were created using plants, tools and techniques available to gardeners at the time.

Contact Twofour Video and DVD Collection on 08700 622800 for information.