A number of veteran trees in the RedFrog area have already been recorded by the Heath and Hampstead Society, but many remain to be discovered. Veteran trees are important habitats for plants and animals and can be reminders of historic landscapes. They can be recognised by distinct features, such as:
- a very large girth for the species (see table below);
- hollow or hollowing trunk, often caused by fungi such as chicken-of-the-woods;
- a large quantity of dead wood in the canopy, creating habitat for vertebrate and invertebrate species;
- cavities for bats and birds
- lichens on the bark.
Other sources of information
English Nature have published a Veteran Tree Management Handbook (Read 2000) http://www.english-nature.org.uk/pubs/Handbooks/ which contains valuable additional information on how to identify veteran (or ancient trees) as well as in-depth information on their management.
What to do if you think you may have spotted a veteran tree
If you think you may know of a veteran tree, please email the Heath and Hampstead Society Tree Officer at: vickiruthharding@gmail.com
A list of some of the veteran trees identified to date is provided at:
