Give your favourite ancient tree a hug this September
The Woodland Trust is encouraging people across the country to visit - and hug - their favourite ancient tree. The unusual request comes as the Trust’s five-year Ancient Tree Hunt reaches a historic milestone.
With the help of thousands of members of the public and more than 100 partners, the Ancient Tree Hunt project now boasts records of 100,000 significant trees throughout the UK. The 100,000th tree - a beautiful beech tree estimated to be around 200 years old – is located in the National Trust’s Ashridge Forest in the Chilterns, just outside London.
Brian Muelaner, Ancient Tree Advisor at the National Trust, said: “We are very pleased that Ashridge Estate is the location of the 100,000th tree recorded in the Ancient Tree Hunt but we're not too surprised as a staggering 3,000 trees from Ashridge have been submitted so far and recording is still taking place. This valiant effort has been achieved by a team of committed volunteers who are systematically surveying the 2,000 hectare estate."
The Ancient Tree Hunt is one of the most detailed surveys of its kind in Europe. The UK is rich in fantastic veteran trees and here in Northern Ireland over 3,700 trees have been recorded on the database.
Belvoir Park Forest, a Forest Service property in Belfast, is home to a number of impressive oaks; one of which, estimated to be over 500 years old, is possibly the oldest tree in Northern Ireland. Crom Estate, a National Trust property in Fermanagh, has its own champion known as ‘the Great Yew’. This ‘tree’ is in fact two yews. Thought to have been planted close together in the 17th century, they have grown together to give the appearance of one single, remarkable tree. At their peak, it is said that parties of 200 people often dined beneath their branches.
Patrick Cregg, director of the Woodland Trust in Northern Ireland, said: "We want people to visit and appreciate our oldest trees. They’re important culturally and historically, as well as providing habitats for some of our rarest species. Increased public awareness of their importance, coupled with the introduction of stronger legislation, will hopefully put our natural heritage on a more secure footing.”
The Woodland Trust welcomes the new Planning Act (Northern Ireland) 2011. Mr Cregg comments that “the new legislation gives welcome recognition to our precious veteran trees by more than trebling the fine for destruction of a protected tree from £30,000 to £100,000.”
To find out more about the Ancient Tree Hunt project and to find your nearest natural treasures, visit www.AncientTreeHunt.org.uk
Notes to editors
For media enquiries contact:
Kaye Coates at the Woodland Trust’s Bangor Office on 028 9127 5787; email kayecoates@woodlandtrust.org.uk or
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121; email media@woodlandtrust.org.uk
The Woodland Trust:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters.
The Trust has three key aims: i) to enable the creation of more native woods and places rich in trees ii) to protect native woods, trees and their wildlife for the future iii) to inspire everyone to enjoy and value woods and trees
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free.
Here in Northern Ireland the Woodland Trust cares for 51 woods. These woods contain a mix of recently planted woodland, mature woodland and ancient woodland (that’s land continuously wooded since at least 1600). We have recently produced the first-ever comprehensive record of Northern Ireland’s ancient woodland; find out more at www.backonthemap.org.uk