The vast age of some trees like Oak, Ash and Yew can provide important information on the past such as the position of old field boundaries or clues about how the land was managed. It is amazing to think that some of the trees we see today were young during the Welsh Rebellion of Owain Glyndwr in the 15th Century, were mature during the Spanish armada and even considered old at the start of the Industrial Revolution!
It is important to catalogue these trees so that we can offer them protection or survey them for some very special species that will only be found on truly old trees. The Woodland Trust is running a national Ancient Tree Hunt so that anyone can record the ancient trees found in the local area. Forms can be filled in online at the Ancient Tree Hunt website, or you can search for trees already recorded by others.