Christmas tree pests and weeds The pathogen often makes Douglas fir trees unsalable as Christmas trees and affects the Christmas tree farming industry. Douglas firs are also affected by "Phaeocryptopus gaumanni" which causes Swiss needlecast. Red band needle blight is a fungal disease which affects coniferous trees, particularly pine, with a worldwide distribution. The disease is caused by the fungi "Dothistroma septosporum". Since the late 1990s its appearance in the United Kingdom has increased, among the most affected species is Corsican pine and the disease has been a significant problem in Thetford Forest. Though the disease spread rapidly during September 2007 Christmas tree growers remained
Fraser of Strichen Fraser of Strichen The Frasers of Strichen are a branch of the highland Clan Fraser, which assumed the chiefship of the clan in the 19th century. After Archibald Campbell Fraser of Lovat, the third son of Simon "the Fox" Fraser, died without descendants in 1815, the chiefship of Clan Fraser was passed to Thomas Alexander Fraser of Strichen. He was a descendant of the 7th Lord Lovat. In 1854 the title of Lovat was restored, which made him the 12th Lord Lovat. This also entitled him and his descendants to a seat in the House of Lords, but this was