Forestry England launches autumn leaf watch as trees prepare for a colourful autumn

Forestry England is inviting the public to help create the most detailed picture yet of autumn colour across England with a new nationwide citizen science project launching this year.

Autumn leaf watch, running from September to November, will encourage people to record and share their observations of changing leaves in the Forest of Dean using Forestry England’s new online autumn colour tracker. The data will help to build a picture of how autumn colour develops across different regions, habitats and tree species.

The project will allow people to follow the progress of autumn as the season unfolds while contributing to a growing record of the timing and development of autumn colour across the nation’s forests.

The launch comes after an unusually hot and dry summer, which has put many trees under stress and led to some trees shedding leaves earlier than usual. Forestry England experts say weather conditions in the weeks ahead could play an important role in how autumn colour develops.

While it is too early to know exactly what this year's autumn will look like, rainfall, temperature and soil moisture can all influence the timing and intensity of autumn colour. If conditions become wetter towards the end of summer, some trees could still produce particularly colourful displays.

Chris Sorenson, Forest Management Advisor at Forestry England, said:

“Autumn is one of nature’s most spectacular seasonal events, but it also gives us a fascinating insight into how the nation’s forests are responding to the world around them. The timing and intensity of autumn colour can vary significantly with weather and growing conditions, and understanding those changes is increasingly important as our climate changes.

“We manage forests for generations, so we have to think long-term about what our forests might look like in the future and how we can make sure they remain healthy and resilient as conditions change. Projects like autumn leaf watch give us another way to build that picture, while giving people the opportunity to get closer to nature and notice the seasonal changes happening in their local forest.

“This year’s hot and dry summer has put many trees under stress, so it’s too early to say exactly what autumn will bring. But if we get some much-needed rainfall, there could still be a spectacular display of gold, amber and red.”

Autumn colour develops as trees begin preparing for winter. As daylight hours shorten and temperatures fall, trees gradually stop producing chlorophyll, revealing yellow and orange pigments already there in leaves, while some species also produce red pigments during autumn.

The timing and intensity of autumn colour depends on a combination of factors, including daylight, temperature, rainfall, soil moisture and the health of the tree. This means the way autumn unfolds can vary considerably from year to year and from one location to another.

During autumn leaf watch, people will be able to use the autumn colour tracker to record what they see in the nation’s forests and follow the changing colours as the season unfolds. The project will build a picture of autumn colour across different parts of England and provide an opportunity for people to contribute to Forestry England’s understanding of seasonal change.

Visitors to the Forest of Dean may start to see the first signs of autumn colour from late September, with many locations typically reaching their peak displays during October and early November.

With millions of trees preparing for their annual transformation, Forestry England is encouraging people to get outside, enjoy the changing season and join autumn leaf watch to help track one of nature's most celebrated spectacles.