Welcome to the
Herefordshire
Tree Forum
Championing Trees and the Green Environment
The Herefordshire Tree Forum consists of a group of volunteers and organisations dedicated to promoting the planting, care and preservation of trees throughout the county and to fostering a better understanding of the social, environmental and economic benefits that they provide. In this website we offer information and guidance with the aim of supporting more effective, sustainable management of the County’s green environment and of encouraging a deeper appreciation and active engagement with trees in both the public and private realms.
SCROLL DOWN for TREE NEWS & UPCOMING EVENTS also for CONTACTS and LINKS TO OTHER USEFUL WEBSITES
TREE OF THE WEEK
Kentucky Yellow-wood: Cladrastis kentukea
This attractive tree is native to the United States where it is found in the eastern states, principally in Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, typically growing in moist forest glades and along the river cliffs and rocky ledges.
A medium-sized tree it often forks low developing a graceful, broad, rounded crown. It has compound, pinnate leaves with rather large, broad leaflets which, unusually, are set alternately along the midrib. Fresh-green when they emerge they become a rich mid-green through the summer, turning bright yellow in the autumn. The fragrant flowers are produced in late spring, hanging in clusters, with rather the appearance of Wisteria blossom, and make a most attractive display. However, trees may take five to ten years from seed before they begin to flower and then tend to take time off, blossoming only every two to five years.
The tree is only seen infrequently in Britain which is a shame as it is a most attractive species. The tree illustrated here is in a private garden in the south of Herefordshire, Yellow-woods only being represented at Queenswood Arboretum by the Asian species, Cladastris delavayi , which has rather smaller leaflets.
Cladastris delavayi can be found off Sovereign Walk, tree number E973
https://queenswood.treefinder.herefordshirewt.org/tree/E973/map
To see the latest planning applications for work on TPO & Conservation Area Trees:
"Recognising Ancient & Veteran Trees" - Woodland Trust guidance available here:
Upcoming Events
If you have tree news or event announcements, please get in touch
May
29
A Herefordshire Wildlife Trust event: a Work Party at Wessington Wood & Pasture
June 13
A Royal Forestry Society event at Netherley Hall Estate (Mathon, nr. Cradley, WR13 5LW)
Tree News from the County & beyond
If you have tree news or event announcements, please get in touch
Recognising & Categorising Ancient & othe Veteran Trees
The Woodland Trust has now has revised guidance providing a transparent and reproducible method to recognise and categorise ancient and veteran trees. It includes a one-page categorisation key to highlight their distinguishing characteristics, alongside more comprehensive guidance to support anyone to recognise and categorise these special trees.
Over time, different definitions of ancient and veteran trees have caused confusion in categorising them. This guidance seeks to clarify these terms, helping practitioners, volunteers, developers, planning authorities and nature enthusiasts to correctly categorise these living legends.
Can the Old Oak of Ross be saved?
The Old Oak of Ross is probably one of the oldest oaks in the county, which makes it one of the oldest trees in Europe. It has survived for perhaps 900 years but over the past ten years or so its condition has declined. The image on the right, taken May 2025, shows the Old Oak to the right of a much larger tree which, however, only dates from the 1920s. it can be seen that the section on the right appears to be dead although the left-hand part of the crown still bears green foliage. The reasons for the relatively sudden decline of the tree are uncertain but may be the result of the inundation by polluted water from the river Wye or perhaps as a result of historical agricultural practices. It can be seen that an agricultural exclusion zone has now been established around both the Old Oak and its younger neighbour.
Benhall Farm, within which the tree is situated, is tenanted, being part of the 13,000 acres that forms the Duchy of Cornwall's Herefordshire Estate. The duchy has been approached with the aim of initiating a programme of research to determine the cause of the decline and to put work in hand to improve the tree's growing conditions with the aim of halting and perhaps reversing the tree's deterioration. A grant application to fund these works has been presented under the 'Farming in Protected Landscapes' (FiPL) scheme. Th e proposal is to be considered and, it is hoped, approved in mid June.
Tree Council launces new guidance for local authorities on Chalara Dieback of Ash
Ash is the third most common broadleaved tree in Britain and there are an estimated 60 million ash trees outside woodlands in the UK. Now widespread across England, Wales and Scotland, ash dieback causes leaf loss and canopy decline and in many cases leads to the death of the tree. To assist land managers to meet new challenges of dealing with ash dieback the second edition of the Action Plan Toolkit for Local Authorities has been launched by The Tree Council
Clone Bank for the Native Black Poplar
established in Herefordshire
The Native Black Poplar is one of our rarest native trees and as part of the work to re-establish it as a familar sight in the countyside, over 2000 plants and cuttings have been made avaialble to over 120 parishes throughout Herefordshire and beyond. In addition, to help to promote genetic diversity and create greater resilience for the species, a 'clone bank' of young trees has been planted at Oak Tree Farm. Grown from cuttings (or 'truncheons'), these represent the nine genetic types so far found amongst the surviving trees in Herefordshire. These include 2 of only 5 female trees found in the County; one of these was found to be genetically unique, being THAT close to extinction!This valuable resource has created interest from neighbouring counties, which may well be able to contribute more individuals to further widen the available genetic pool.
For more information about the Black Poplar Project, CLICK HERE
AND - The National Trust follows our lead! CLICK HERE
Tree Care 1 - #Free the Tree: Look out for strangled trees!
The Arboricultural Association has launched a 'free the tree' campaign There could be tens of thousands of trees across the UK being strangled by redundant tree ties left on too long. Wherever trees have been planted, in private gardens and along the side of roads, in car parks and housing estates, in schools and open green space, this issue can be found all too frequently. Through a lack of good aftercare or a lack of understanding, these trees will struggle to establish in the landscape, with many dying as a result.
For more information CLICK HERE - To download a poster, CLICK HERE
Tree Care 2 -Tree Council launches "Tree Love Care" campaign
Newly planted trees need simple care in their tender early years to thrive. Carrying out a little tree care is a great way to stay connected to the tree or trees you have planted, and could help them prosper for years and even decades to come. t’s easy to help young trees survive those critical first five years.
Find their useful tree care tips HERE
Report suggests the impact of Ash Dieback (Chalara) may be less devastating than first estimates suggested.
Dr Matt Combes, a tree epidemiologist at the University of Warwick and the lead author of a review article that summarises various insights into the disease says that although a lot of trees are going to die, "ash dieback infection is not a death sentence.” Many of Britain’s ash trees might be more resilient than initially believed – and emerging solutions could help protect them. See news report in The Guardian HERE
CONTACTS
Herefordshire Tree Forum: [email protected]
Herefordshire Tree Warden Network: [email protected]
Herefordshire Ancient Tree Forum: [email protected]
Click on the buttons below to access Herefordshire Council website pages
Links to websites of other useful organisations
ACTION OAK: an initiative to protect our oak trees.
Working with partners to lead the vital work & research to protect the UK’s native oak trees and safeguard their future.
ANCIENT TREE INVENTORY:
The Woodland Trust's Inventory mapping the oldest and most important trees in the UK
