Move
mouse
over links to
view information,
then click for large photo
(well worth the wait)
Britain's
international importance
Conservation
of veterans click for close up
Here's
one we made earlier
Success!
Recent
veterans
Early
Veteranisation
do try this at home
The
Ancient Tree Forum
Previous
page
Next
page
Home
Contact
us
|
What
we believe
One
Veteran Tree is More Valuable Than Many Young Ones
A
veteran tree is one that is uncommonly old for its species. As a consequence
of its age it is likely to have a suite of characteristic features.
In most respects a veteran tree will look ancient.
A veteran tree may have a trunk that is of great girth for
the species; it will probably have an irregular or gnarled appearance
with cavities and pockets of decayed wood where former branches have
detached. Very likely the centre of the tree will be decayed if not
hollow. The crown is often smaller than might be expected for the
size of the trunk and it might contain large pieces of deadwood and
shattered branch stubs. Despite these features, or maybe because of
them, many veterans show surprisingly vigorous living parts.
Precisely as a consequence of the size and variety of the features
common on veteran trees, they often support a fabulous diversity
of wildlife. Lichens and mosses can live on the ancient surfaces,
while numerous species of fungi live on dead wood inside and outside
the tree. A whole food chain of insects and other invertebrates may
be associated with the decaying wood. Little known flies and wasps
may inhabit holes, water pockets and slime fluxes. In the canopy,
there will be sawflies, leaf miners and caterpillars eating leaves.
There are numerous cavity nesting birds and several tree roosting
bat species all of which are more likely to find a place in a veteran
tree than a younger one.
Early
veteranisation
It
is possible to create veteran characteristics in trees which themselves
are not particularly old. Species such as willow, sycamore and horse
chestnut, having non-durable heartwood, can be cut in ways that promote
decay but do not threaten their life. This process can provide a valuable
bridge between existing and future veterans for specialist wildlife
|