As autumn begins to take hold in England, Forestry England has launched a citizen science initiative inviting the public to help monitor the changing colours of leaves across the country. The Autumn Leaf Watch project encourages volunteers to record the predominant leaf colours they observe during visits to forests, or to focus on specific tree species such as beech, horse chestnut, oak, rowan, and silver birch.

The aim of the project is to develop a comprehensive record of when and how autumn arrives in different regions and habitats, as well as how the timing and progression of fall foliage varies among tree species. By gathering observations over the coming weeks and in subsequent years, Forestry England hopes to gain better insight into these seasonal changes.

Early reports from participants indicate that most woodland canopies remain predominantly green, suggesting that the autumn transition is just beginning. However, yellow and orange leaves have already been noted in areas including Wyre Forest in Worcestershire, Haughmond Hill in Shropshire, and Delamere Forest in Cheshire. Among tree species, silver birch and beech are among the first to display colour changes, while oaks have generally retained their green foliage so far.

Forestry England highlights that the onset and progression of autumn foliar change are influenced by various environmental factors such as daylight hours, temperature, soil moisture, rainfall, and the overall health of individual trees. This year’s unusually hot and dry summer appears to have accelerated leaf shedding in some cases, though the full impact of these conditions on the autumn season remains uncertain. Weather patterns over the next several weeks will play a significant role in determining how autumn develops.

Chris Sorenson, a forest management adviser with Forestry England, noted that the extreme heat experienced over the summer makes this year’s observations particularly valuable. “Some trees have already shed leaves early, but there’s still plenty of autumn to come,” Sorenson said, encouraging members of the public to engage with the natural changes in their local woodlands.

The changing leaf colours are a natural part of the process by which deciduous trees prepare for winter. As days shorten and temperatures decline, chlorophyll production—the pigment responsible for green colouring—diminishes, revealing underlying yellow and orange pigments. Some species additionally produce red pigments during this transition. The timing and vividness of these colour changes can vary widely across species and locations, a variability that the Autumn Leaf Watch project seeks to document and better understand through broad participation.