Scientists aim to create a better British-grown Christmas tree

If the centrepiece of your festive decorations is already shedding its needles, take heart, Oxford scientists and the Forestry Commission are joining forces in a government-funded effort to produce a better British Christmas tree.

The project will involve a kind of beauty pageant for conifers, with experts picking out the best-looking douglas firs growing across the UK. These champion specimens will be used to create a new lineage.

The species, which is native to North America, has become a popular choice of Christmas tree in Britain. However, almost a century after it was first brought to these shores, most of the douglas firs grown here begin life as seeds imported from the US and France.

The new project will aim to create a British landrace — a locally adapted strain — that can better cope with wind and frost.

The species, which can grow to 55m and live for more than 1,000 years, was introduced to the UK in 1827. It tends to do best in western areas, where rainfall is higher. Some conservationists oppose the planting of non-native conifers, but the Woodland Trust notes that the trees can provide homes for wildlife such as red squirrels and pine martens.

The project will involve the selection of 200 “visually superior trees” from douglas fir plantations. The researchers will also pick out 40 trees that appear to have especially good genetics, grown by Forest Research, the research agency of the Forestry Commission. These will then be crossed and the best of the progeny selected.

It is hoped that the resulting trees will produce better timber and that they may also make more aesthetically pleasing Christmas trees.

Researchers from the University of Oxford are taking “DNA fingerprints” of all the selected trees. This should make sure the population is genetically diverse, to avoid inbreeding, which became a problem in earlier efforts in the Sixties.

Richard Whittet, head of tree breeding at Forest Research, said: “We have selected a new generation of douglas fir trees for breeding, which is an important step forward for the resilience of our nation’s trees. ”

Sir William Worsley, chairman of the Forestry Commission, said: “We are facing a changing climate and biodiversity decline, with trees playing a significant role in mitigating some of the worst impacts.

“We rely too heavily on timber imports in the UK and if we are to strengthen our own domestic supply then this type of science will play a huge role in the future. There has never been a more crucial time to invest in domestic tree-planting.”

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