Ancient Trees
Ancient trees often influence the character
of our landscapes. Managing the landscape involves retaining
ancient trees and the next generations of mature and young trees as
well as planning new planting. It is important to maintain local
distinctiveness including carrying on traditional tree management
practices.
Ancient trees are important because of the
range of organisms that rely on them for habitats and niches as
well as being of important historical and social importance. Often
management means doing as little as possible or undoing damage
caused by unsympathetic management practises that have been carried
out in ignorance.
It is very important to consider how
organisms link into the environment surrounding ancient trees.
Generally, the UK has a much greater number of ancient trees than
the rest of Europe, and Ryedale is particularly blessed with many
fine examples. Consequently, great importance is attached to their
retention within the District Council’s adopted Ryedale
Biodiversity Action Plan.
What is an Ancient tree?
The term ancient tree is one that is not capable of precise
definition but it encompasses trees defined by three guideline
principles:
- Trees of interests biologically,
aesthetically or culturally because of their age;
- Trees in the ancient stage of their
life;
- Trees that are old relatively to others of
the same species.
Although many ancient trees have relatively
large girth trunks this is not a reliable criterion as different
species and individual trees have very different life spans and
grow at different rates. For instance, an ancient birch may be only
seventy – one hundred years old, whilst an oak of similar age could
conceivably have only completed approximately one-tenth of it
lifespan.
Why are ancient trees important?
Ancient trees are important for the following
reasons:
- They have association with rare insects and
fungi as well as bats and birds
- They have aesthetic appeal and cause
inspiration
- They may have a particular historic link,
i.e. be associated with a specific person or event.
- They often illustrate past land use or
cultural landscapes, i.e. they are often found on wooded commons,
in parkland, or as boundary or field markers and in ancient field
markers and in ancient farmland landscapes.
The Woodland Trust, through the Ancient Tree
Forum (see link below) have undertaken an ambitious five-year
programme to record 500,00 ancient trees throughout the UK. The
Council have recently entered into a partnership with the Ancient
Tree Forum to raise the awareness of ancient trees through
education, and events, with the public, contractors and schools. In
return the Woodland Trust offer financial assistance for events
plus leaflets and other publications.
Further information and contact details
are given below.
Document Links
Become a volunteer! (PDF,
43K)
Ryedale Ancient Tree
School Project. (PDF, 565K)
Photo -
Malton School. (PDF, 1.11MB)
Photo -
Norton School. (PDF, 913K)
Photo -
Pickering Infants 1. (PDF, 923K)
Photo -
Pickering Infants 2. (PDF, 959K)
Photo
- Pickering Infants 3. (PDF, 1.55MB)
Photo
- Sherburn School. (PDF, 1.50MB)
Photo -
Sinnington School. (PDF, 1.7MB)
Photo
- St Josephs School 2. (PDF, 754K)
Photo -
St Josephs School. (PDF, 991K)
Useful Links
Woodland
Trust: Ancient Tree Forum.
Further information is available from our Tree and Landscape
officer, on 01653 600666 (ext 459)
or email forwardplanning@ryedale.gov.uk.