The article discusses diseases affecting beech trees, specifically the common European beech. Beech trees are widely found in Europe and make up a significant portion of forests in Britain. They thrive on chalk and limestone soils and are popular in parks and gardens. The study mentions various beech tree varieties like copper, cut-leaved, and weeping, as well as their use for hedging. One of the diseases mentioned is caused by a fungus called Bjerkandera adusta.