A new map indicates that England may be home to over two million trees with the great environmental and cultural worth that was previously undocumented.
That is ten times the number now listed in official records.
This treemap is a rare source of optimism in the realm of conservation.
However, the Woodland Trust warns that these ancient or veteran specimens have “almost no” legal protection.
It follows the council’s decision to cut down a centuries-old oak tree in Peterborough on Wednesday, citing it as the most likely cause of “structural damage” to neighboring properties.
We follow Steve Marsh of the Woodland Trust through brambles and rhododendrons on the Ashton Court Estate near Bristol, in search of the mythical Domesday Oak.
Instead, we find an ancient tree without a name, one that the Trust has no record of. Inside, we take turns seated; the air is chilly and still.
A tree that is exceptionally old for its age is frequently referred to as “living archaeology.”
One ancient oak contains more biodiversity than one thousand oaks that are 100 years old.
And veteran trees exhibit the characteristics of an antique specimen despite being younger.
Steve pats the twisted wood and says, “It’s that sense you get when you see an ancient cathedral or church and you wonder what the world was like back then.
He claims that the tree is perhaps twice as old as St. Paul’s Cathedral, which was constructed in 1675, and as old as the Tower of London.
The only reason this ancient tree has survived is that it is in a park where the landowners have cared for it, he suggests.
“All of our oldest and most remarkable trees should be designated as historic landmarks so that we can care for them in the future,” he argues.
Dr. Victoria Nolan of the University of Nottingham spent four years searching for just this type of concealed antique artifact.
She informed me that after sifting through existing records and traversing the English countryside, it was “amazing” to determine that there could be two million.
Her team utilized a computer model to forecast the likely locations of the trees. It considered the topography, habitat, as well as distance from cities and human populations.
“We could not initially believe the results. I was surprised by how ubiquitous they are, even in places where you wouldn’t expect to see an ancient tree “She stated,
Many are found in the medieval hunting parks and woodlands surrounding London, as well as in the Lake District, Hereford, and Northumbria.
Before their study, tree records typically indicated where scientists had gone to search for trees, as opposed to where trees might be.
She continues, “Now we illustrate where they genuinely are in the environment.”
However, the consequences of her work are “sort of frightening.”
“Due to our limited knowledge, these trees are currently not protected in any way. Depending on their location, these trees could be felled by anyone.
They are being harmed, particularly in many agricultural environments.”
As biodiversity levels decline, these organisms provide refuge for thousands of species.
In addition, their breathing helps to cool a hot atmosphere. In addition to containing history and memory, they assist us in dreaming and imagining.
Now that scientists such as Victoria and the rest of us are armed with this new atlas of ancient trees, we can assist in preserving a greater number of them.
The research is published in the journal Ecological Applications.
