Gwent Wildlife Trust
Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Gwent

Help save the ancient trees of Gwent

‘Old, gnarled and knotty trees? - let us know about them’ says Gwent Wildlife Trust’s Rebecca Price. The Trust is looking for volunteers to participate in its ‘2005/6 Veteran Tree Survey’ of ancient trees in Gwent. Some volunteers have already braved the cold weather to start the process but Gwent is a large place and we are really keen to find more people to get involved. 

See details below on how you can help.

You do not need to be an expert to participate just enthusiasm, a pencil and a tape measure! Gwent Wildlife Trust will provide survey forms and instructions on what to look out for and is happy to answer any tree survey related questions. People can record veteran trees near where they live or opt to survey for veterans in a wider area. If you know of an ancient tree that you pass by on your way to work, or see from your kitchen window, we would like to know about it!

We want to find these old, gnarled and knotty veteran trees because they are some of the most important places for wildlife and are becoming very scarce. According to Steven Rogers, the Trust’s Conservation Officer, ‘owls, kestrels, woodpeckers, nuthatches and bees nest in holes and bats roost in hollow trees. In fact, veteran trees can support up to 2000 different tiny creatures like beetles, spiders and specially adapted flies!’

Ancient trees can be many centuries old and much bigger than an average tree. Because of this great age, oaks, sweet chestnuts, yews and fruit trees often develop huge, hollow, trunks. Indeed, they can be so long lived they are some of the oldest living things on the planet. They become ancient monuments in their localities and even live on in place names, as at Great Oak near Raglan.

At Llantilio Crossenny there is an ancient oak in a cider orchard that is about 10 metres (33 feet) round and 3 metres (10 feet) across and is probably about 800 years old!  It is still alive and producing new leaves every spring.

Pubs are often named after these trees, such as ‘Royal Oak’ and ‘Chequers’. In fact chequers is the common name for the now rare service tree.  Churchyards are often famous for their ancient yews, and at Bettws Newydd near Usk for example there is a huge yew tree. Oaks and chestnuts often survive in old parkland, and even when these trees start to die back and rot, they can last for centuries. These rotting trees are still very important for wildlife and they harbour many of our rarest fungi, lichens, mosses and liverworts. There are spectacular bracket fungi and the Oyster mushrooms found on old beech trees are even good to eat.

Old trees become part of our history as boundary markers or marking the line of ancient cross country routes. A road up to the Black Mountains below Twyn y Gaer is lined with ancient beech trees that have horizontal trunks. When the trees were young they were laid, or pleached, to make a hedge alongside the old drove road and it is possible that these beeches are survivors of the ancient woodlands that used to cloak the hills of south east Wales.

So, why are ancient trees being lost? There is increasing concern as more and more veteran trees are being lost to new roads, building developments and intensive agriculture. In some cases, even though individual trees were protected during building work, they suffered premature death because the roots were damaged or paved over. Trees need good access to water and cannot survive when the surface water is drained away. On farmland there can be an unexpected loss of veteran trees when deep ploughing damages the roots.

• Information on the care of ancient trees

• For more information look at the Tree Council website: www.treecouncil.org.uk

• Page 1 of the Recording Form.

• Page 2 of the Recording Form.

• Guidelines on using the Recording Forms

For more information contact Steven Rogers (Conservation Officer) or Rebecca Price (Gwent Grasslands Initiative Officer) on 01600 740358 or at Gwent Wildlife Trust, Seddon House, Dingestow, Monmouth NP25 4DY.