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Andrew Walton's avatar

Excellent article that has helped to confirm some suspicions I'd had regarding sycamore decline in parts of the West Mids.

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Pennie Hedge's avatar

Noticed this on sycamores in SE London last year as well. We have a lot of squirrels!

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Sarah Thomas's avatar

Noticed this earlier this month on a number of sycamores at Argal Reservoir, a site belonging to South West Lakes in Mid Cornwall. so odd I took some pics with my phone meaning to look it up. Thanks for the investigation!

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The Tree Council's avatar

Thanks Sarah! Please do pass on your observations/pics to Tree Alert > https://www.forestresearch.gov.uk/tools-and-resources/fthr/tree-alert/

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Judy's avatar

I have a 10 hectre woodland and supposedly very badly affected by grey squirrel. There were previously many years of attempts to eradicate them. Since I have took over, I do not kill the squirrels and now occasionally feed them . Their population has stabilised and their territorial behaviour has stopped other squirrels from coming in. I see them still barking trees, but the damage over all is not only NOT killing the trees, it is creating a more diverse woodland. Sycamore, by the way, is an invasive tree and will take over the woodland if left unchecked. So from my point of view, I could do will all the help I can get from these amazing little woodland engineers

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Colleen Kent's avatar

It's not just sycamores is it, squirrels have stripped pine, willow and silver birch in our garden.

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