Reaping reward of Ancient Tree Hunt
Nidderdale Tree Wardens are investing prize money in planting for the future.Winners of the Ancient Tree Hunt challenge – for the Tree Warden network that recorded the most trees – these North Yorkshire volunteers had £900 to spend on saplings to plant locally.
This winter they are using the prize money for two schemes in Nidderdale Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. One is to re-establish a hedgerow, where three old hawthorns and an ancient holly were all that was left of the original. The other is to re-establish trees in an existing ancient woodland site.
Tree Wardens are pictured here with Nidderdale AONB Conservation Volunteers and staff from a firm in nearby Harrogate who had requested a day’s volunteering work.
The planting plan for the new hedge was based on an ancient hedge at about the same altitude on the other side of the valley.
Because Tree Wardens played such an important role in the Ancient Tree Hunt, the Woodland Trust offered prizes for both the individual Tree Warden and the local network that recorded the most.
The prize for the individual champion went to London Tree Warden Steve Waters whose £100 prize is being devoted to yew trees.
The Ancient Tree Hunt (www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk) is run by Tree Council members the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum with the Tree Register of the British Isles.
It, like Tree Warden projects to highlight significant trees, reinforces The Tree Council’s Green Monuments Campaign to gain special protected status for heritage trees.
