Scientists are studying some of the oldest trees in the UK to try and protect the UK’s forests of tomorrow.
From the Druids Oak, an 800-year-old tree in a Buckinghamshire nature reserve, to the Crouch Oak in Surrey, the UK is blessed with more ancient oaks than the rest of Europe combined.
Trees are essential to life on earth, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen into the atmosphere.
But where some thrive and continue to live for centuries despite extreme weather, disease, and climate change, others die well before their time.
The Woodland Trust and Arboricultural Association is trying to understand why some trees live much longer lives than others – and they’re hoping these ancient giants have the answers in their DNA.
Dr Ed Pyne, a conservation scientist from The Woodland Trust, spoke to the BBC as he took a leaf sample from the Druids Oak for DNA testing.
He said: ‘We know that this tree is a survivor. Is it just that it’s got lucky? Has it led a stress-free life? Or is there something special about the genes of this tree?’
While the Druids Oak is more than 800-years-old, with several wooden beams in place to help hold it upright, some oak trees in particular can live for 1,000 years or more.
If scientists are able to uncover something special about the DNA of those ancient trees, it’s hoped this knowledge could be used to help restore Britain’s depleted woodlands.
When it comes to planting new trees, scientists can ensure the best oaks are planted to give new forests the best chance to survive and thrive, which would also create new habitats for wildlife.
Dr Emma Gilmartin from the Arboricultural Association added: ‘By exploring the genome of ancient trees, we can understand how to manage them better so that we can secure their future for generations to come.’
Oak trees are classed as ancient once they reach their 400th birthday, and the DNA study is set to analyse about 50 of the UK’s most well-known ancient oaks.
But it’s not just this DNA study which is putting oak trees first in its conservation attempts.
The history of the Druids Oak
The Druids Oak is located in a nature reserve in Buckinghamshire, managed by the City of London Corporation.
It’s thought to date to the 13th century, which makes it older than many historical buildings including the present-day Houses of Parliament and Saint Paul’s Cathedral.
Its trunk has a roughly 9metre girth and measures about the same in height.
Previously the tree had been pollarded, which explains its rather squat shape.
What’s the inspiration behind the Druids Oak name?
In ancient times, oak trees were revered by druids – the religious Celtic leaders who revered the natural world.
In fact, the word ‘druid’ itself is thought to come from the Irish-Gaelic word ‘doire’, meaning oak tree and wisdom.
This makes the word ‘druid’ a perfect inspiration for the Druids Oak’s name.
The National Nature Reserve adjoining Moccas Park in Herefordshire has put oaks front and centre of its plans to restore the landscape.
As part of its efforts to restore a wood pasture – a habitat of open grasslands populated by ancient trees – acorns collected from ancient oaks which have stood in the area for centuries are being collected.
They are grown into young oak trees off site before being replanted where they once stood, while non-native conifers which had previously been planted there are being moved elsewhere.
Tom Simpson, from Natural England, says in the 16 years since the project started they’ve seen a ‘boom’ in the local bird population.
There’s been a resurgence of rare species including hundreds of different flies, beetles, bats and birds.
One example is the Moccas Beetle, which has only ever been found living on 14 of the ancient oak trees in Moccas Park.
Tom added: ‘In a short period of time – that’s 16 years of restoration – we are really seeing nature recovery on this site.’
As work to study ancient oak trees continues, The Woodland Trust has been 3D modelling these huge trees in the hope conservationists will be able to better manage and understand them in the future.
It also has an Ancient Tree Inventory, which currently has more than 190,000 trees listed in its database.
The Woodland Trust compares ancient trees to stately homes, artworks and cathedrals in terms of their importance, and asks people to submit and record old trees to their inventory, so they’re able to better look after them.
While not an oak, the importance of ancient trees was highlighted by the illegal felling of the Sycamore Gap tree at Hadrian’s Wall in September 2023.
The two men who felled it were convicted of criminal damage and jailed, and its trunk has since been put on display at a nearby tourist attraction allowing people to see and even hug the felled tree.
Tony Gates, chief executive officer of Northumberland National Park, said of the felling: ‘The felling of the Sycamore Gap tree has shown just how much nature and landscape mean to people and to their very wellbeing.’
Saul Herbert from the Trust says more needs to be done to protect these ‘living legends’, adding: ‘We need to find out where they are and we need to engage with people and communities to ensure that these trees are valued and looked after for the ecological, cultural and the historic value that they bring to our landscapes.’
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