Jill and Ted’s tree-mendous adventure

Jill and Ted meet Cross Country Films www.crosscountryfilms.co.uk who specialise in encouraging people to get out and explore the countryside and its gems. Their latest film is on the Sandstone Ridge in Cheshire – along the ridge are some great castles and where there are castles there are often great trees like this Peckforton Oak.

Ted and Jill go with Martine Lejeune to meet one of the oldest trees in Belgium Now  recognised by the community of Lummen and is being cared for – see the low fencing around it – a lovely gently hint to people not to trample its roots.

Lummen, Belgium

Leading the way to the old oak is a wonderful banner. A special car parking area has been prepared and ‘grandchildren’ from the 1000 year old oak have been planted around it to carry on the oak tradition into the future. Great stuff Belgium!

Ted finds a beautiful patch of aerial wood sorrel – growing on the top of a fallen oak tree. Its growing well off the ground just on moss – just supported by aerial decaying wood.

Jill was out with colleagues from the Woodland Trust Conservation Team in Haringey Borough. We were there by invitation of Haringey Borough and City of London visiting some of the woods and heaths. Walking through Queen’s Wood we came across a lovely hornbeam pollard and Jill couldn’t resist recording it for the Ancient Tree Hunt – tree no 28040 – find out where it is by going to http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/recording/tree.htm?tree=A708B9DF-DE70-452A-83C2-18002FE91E77 The bakers of London prized hornbeam faggots for making the best bread and hence London is ringed by hornbeam pollards and coppice.

Take a look at some of the model beetles and insects that the children made at the recent Ancient Tree Hunt event at Forest of Belvoir just on the outskirts of Belfast. Jill loves their great colours. The forest is home to a very special tree too the Belvoir Oak.

Jill talks to her Woodland Trust, colleague James Cooper outside Eland House just before going for a meeting with the civil servants who are working on the changes to the Tree Preservation Order system. Eland House is the home of the Department of Communities and Local Government. The TPO changes are following on from the Planning Bill and are planned to be in place by April 2010. We are seeking changes in the regulations that mean that important dead, dying and dangerous trees no longer fall through the system and also a Register of Trees of Special Interest – champion, ancient, veteran and notable in historic and biodiversity sites and other heritage trees.

Count them coming out – you’ll need more than two hands!

Take a virtual tour inside a hollow oak that we filled with people.