Forestry Commission - News - don't miss out on gold

With all the debate about whether or not autumn will be early this year, the only way to make sure you don't miss this annual riot of colour is to keep checking the Forestry Commission's website (www.forestry.gov.uk/autumn).

Foresters will be keeping an eye on more than 120 woods across Britain to monitor the changing colours of the trees and will update the website to let people know the best time and places to visit and make the most of this autumn spectacle.

The woods featured will be amongst the finest places to see autumn colours this year, from well-known attractions such as Westonbirt Arboretum in Gloucestershire, Faskally Woods in Perthshire and Cwmcarn Forest near Newport, to hidden gems such as Giggle Alley in Cumbria.

Simon Toomer, curator at Westonbirt, is expecting an excellent year for colours:

"Even though the summer wasn't particularly great, the warm, moist conditions and the recent sunshine have allowed trees to store a lot of food. When temperatures start to fall and the trees shut down for winter, the food, stored as sugars and starches in the leaves, should bring on quite strong colours."

All across Britain, foresters are expecting the same result this year and are hoping they get the right weather conditions to make it a kaleidoscope of colours.

Simon said: "People should look out for cold evenings and frosts, as this will bring on the change of colour. If we have low winds and little rain, the trees will retain more of their leaves and visitors will see the display at its most intense.

"What we don't know is exactly when this will happen. The turn of colour usually happens over several weeks as the colder weather spreads south across the country and Perthshire, for example, could go gold well before the south of England. The good thing about this is that it gives people across the country choices about where and when they can go and see the colours at their finest.

"Usually the north of Scotland turns gold early in October. The colour change then moves south over the next few weeks until we start seeing changes in Gloucestershire later in the month and reaching a peak at the end of October.

"There's been quite a bit if debate about the possibility of an early autumn this year, but the only way we'll know for certain is by tracking the changes, and people can check this on our website.

"That way they will know the best places to go and do body and soul a favour by getting out and seeing these glorious colours."

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Forestry Commission's autumn website (www.forestry.gov.uk/autumn) will be live between September 14 and the end of November and will give people daily updates on tree colours as they change from green to gold. It will also feature some of the best autumn views in Britain to download as screen wallpaper or send as electronic postcards.

Media contact: Willie Cairns, tel: 0131 314 6443, mob: 07771 730510.