Pedunculate Oak
9th January 2012
Also known as English or Common Oak, this is our largest and most common native deciduous tree species that grows up to 40m in height. The clustered acorns and the deeply rounded lobed leaves make the Pedunculate Oak unmistakable. Oaks grow very quickly for their first 100 or so years, followed by a period of slower growth for the next 300 or so years. This can be followed by up to another 300 years as the tree slowly declines and hollows until it dies. Although they can live to over 1000 years old they usually live up to 600 years and Britain has the highest number of ancient oak trees in Europe. Ancient and veteran trees provide homes for a diversity of plants, animals and fungi and as such are an incredibly valuable habitat for wildlife.
Latin name: Quercus robur
Population Numbers: Accurate figures are difficult to ascertain but the Wiltshire Flora Mapping Project (1984-92) noted it in 79% of the county’s tetrads (The Wiltshire Flora, 1993).
Where to see and when: Oak trees can be found throughout Wiltshire within woodland, parkland, pasture and hedgerow. It is common throughout the lowland clays but less common on the chalk and greensand. Ancient or veteran trees are not quite so numerous but can still been seen across the county. The largest concentration of ancient trees in the county can be found in Savernake Forest – the site contains around 2,600 ancient oaks along with ancient beech and sweet chestnut.
Wiltshire Wildlife Trust owns several fine examples of ancient woodland sites containing oak trees of varying ages but for a different perspective on this tree, take a look at the veteran oaks which can be seen standing right in the middle of Oaksey Farm Meadows reserve. Ancient and veteran trees can be spotted all year round, but come into their own during the winter months when their impressive form is not so overshadowed by surrounding vegetation.
What’s being done: Many ancient trees stand unprotected, often just from neglect or a lack of awareness of their great importance to our heritage and wildlife. The three main threats to ancient trees are:
- Felling - to a culture of safety and tidiness
- Changes in land use - for development and agriculture, or for other landscape reasons
- Competition from surrounding trees - both planted and naturally occurring. However sudden release from competing trees – can shock or scorch trees and damage them.
At WWT we’re managing young oaks for the future, not just preserve existing old oaks. Hedgerow trees are managed to favour oak as in certain areas younger hedgerow oaks are being over taken by ash trees. When laying hedges the Trust plants oak saplings to grow on as future hedgerow trees. It’s important not to allow overgrazing and poaching around the bottom of in-field or hedgerow trees as this damages the root system.
Hazel coppicing is an ancient form of woodland management where hazel is cut to the ground every 7 or 25 years and allowed to re-grow. In this situation old standard oak trees are retained as refuges for wildlife. This can be seen in areas of most WWT woodland: for example Ravensroost Wood. In areas of Green Lane Wood near Trowbridge the situation is slightly different as the oak used to be coppiced to harvest the bark for tanning leather; it is very unusual to see coppiced oak stools.
