Scotland's trees at risk from climate change

14:12:20 9th December 2009

Garden and greenhouse owners may be interested to hear that while climate change may allow them to grow more exotic types of plant, it is putting Scotland's forests under pressure.

According to the Forestry Commission, increasing summer temperatures and a lack of rainfall in summer has had a detrimental effect on some species.

Varieties such as Norway spruce, Sitka spruce, beech and larch are suffering from low rainfall, drying out and becoming prone to infection.

As many as one in three forests in the east of the country were found to be at high or moderate risk of drought damage.

The east coast is particularly at risk as it is drier than the west, which is exposed to rain brought in from the Atlantic Ocean.

Furthermore, the problem could be exacerbated in areas where trees are growing in sandy soils, which makes water retention more difficult.

Meanwhile, the Royal Horticultural Society has revealed that the Dorset Naga chilli pepper has been added to the Collins English dictionary.