Agrigem Forestry

Leading the way with responsible, industry-leading pesticide and fertiliser products and expertise for the forestry sector

Agrigem supports forestry professionals with targeted and effective plant protection products as part of strategic forest management.

Headed up by Lauren Barker, our forestry division supplies into the commercial timber, forest nursery, contractor, landscaper, agroforestry, forest management, and woodland stewardship sectors.

We work in partnership with our customers - including Forestry England and Forestry and Land Scotland for whom we hold the supply contracts - to support the health of our forests. We help customers prevent the spread of tree disease and pest damage and support the control of invasive species and weeds.

These critical processes underpin everything we do and shape our product offering – something we continually review to ensure we remain relevant and useful in our sector.

Lauren Barker MBPR, IFMH, FQA

Lauren Barker is Agrigem’s Technical Account Manager in charge of Forestry. Lauren moved into the forestry sector in 2018 following fourteen years working in management roles in the horticulture and garden retail categories. She is highly qualified and experienced and works with a broad range of sector professionals.

As a Member of the BASIS Professional Register and a FACTS Qualified Advisor (Fertiliser Advisers Certification & Training), Lauren continually maintains and updates her professional knowledge to lead on best practice in forestry management.

She is called on to support a range of customers with knowledge, insight and high-quality product advice relating to pest and disease control and nutrient management planning to support healthy tree growth.

You can contact Lauren by email or by calling 01522 246491

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Latest Forestry News

Oak Processionary Moth Warning 25th June 24

June marks the start of a high-risk period for oaks, with the arrival of non-native oak processionary moths.

The caterpillars hatch in spring and go through several instars, moving down the tree as they grow - feeding on the leaves, weakening and harming tree growth and leaving oaks exposed to stress and disease. The Forestry Commission has issued a public warning to avoid contact and report sightings. Get in touch to discuss caterpillar control, damage mitigation and prevention strategies.

A Bumper Year for Box Moth? 25th June 24

The RHS has issued a warning that 2024 could be a bumper year for box tree caterpillar moth, with five times the number of reports of the insects compared with the same period last year.

Lauren advises to inspect plants in early spring for signs of eggs underneath leaves. She says: “Remove caterpillars by hand where possible to avoid spread and keep an eye on the temperature – caterpillars will start to transform into moths and lay even more eggs when temperatures climb. Use a box tree moth trap to measure extent of infestation. DiPel and Decis Protech can be effective in controlling the caterpillars."

Get in touch with Lauren for more information.

World Bee Day 24th June 24

Supported by the UN and the FAO, World Bee Day encourages the public and governments to take action to reverse the decline in bee populations and strengthen measures aimed at protecting them to ensure the safety of global food supply.

Agrigem encourages the planting of bee-friendly wildflowers and supplies woodland and heavy shade seed mixes to the forestry sector.

Get in touch for more information and pricing.

The Pine Weevil Challenge 24th June 24

Pine weevil control is one of the biggest challenges faced by the commercial forestry sector in the UK. A particular problem after restocking commercial conifer, pine weevils cause significant destruction to pine and spruce seedlings and can cause up to 100% loss of replanted trees.

The broad-spectrum insecticide acetamiprid (Gazelle), will shortly be removed from the market, leaving few pesticide options, and concern about the planting and establishment of new pine forests.

While some products remain for the control of Hylobius in oilrape, potatoes and sugar beet, the forestry sector is currently left with cypermethrin (Forester), which is also predicted to be withdrawn in the near future.

I continue to monitor the situation carefully and will share updates here as soon as I have them.