Veteran Trees

LATEST NEWS: Grants available for management of veteran or ancient trees on your land

Britain has a wealth of ancient trees - it has been estimated that 80% of all veteran trees in Europe are found here. They are particularly important in the AONB, as Herefordshire is noted as having one of the largest concentrations.

Veteran trees are those that by virtue of their great age, size or condition are important for wildlife and for their cultural and landscape value. Many of the surviving veteran trees can be found in the vestiges of the once extensive system of Royal Hunting Forests and their successors, the more formalised medieval deer parks. More scattered groups can also be found in ancient wooded commons, and small groups and individual specimens are also found on farmland and village greens and in churchyards.

They are usually of native or long-established species and particularly old or large for that species. They harbour a unique array of wildlife, and many of our rarest fungi, lichens, mosses, liverworts and invertebrates are exclusive to them. Dead wood and holes in these trees provide habitats for species such as woodpeckers, owls and bats.