Veteranisation & Habitat Pruning Project at the National Trust's Clumber Park. Expert Tree Surgery in Nottinghamshire.

We (Springwood Tree Services Ltd) were commissioned to carry out a tree veteranisation project with a focus on immediate and long-term habitat-creation works within selected woodland locations at The National Trust's Nottinghamshire property, Clumber Park.

What is Tree Veteranisation?

Experts have become increasingly concerned about the loss of ancient trees in our modern landscapes and their concern is only heightened by the lack of future “ancients” coming through to replace them.

The species that rely on the variety of habitat niches created over time in aging trees are also declining with ever decreasing ancients to inhabit.

Veteranisation is the process by which trees are intentionally "damaged" to create succession for, and continuity of, the habitats currently available on and in local ancient trees. These habitats host a plethora of living organisms, from rare fungus through to more well-known birds and mammals.

There is no quick and easy way to create an ancient tree as, by their very nature, they take hundreds of years to mature. However, it has been shown that intentional ‘damage’ to younger trees can speed up the process of aging whilst simultaneously creating instant habitats, such as rot holes and dead wood, which form at least some of the valuable resources that older trees currently offer.

The Project.

During this project, various veteranisation and habitat creation techniques were employed including natural fracture pruning, habitat installation using only the tree's natural materials, impact damage and cavity creation.

Trees were selected on their proximity to existing veteran trees as often the species living within, especially insects, do not travel far. The selected trees were generally young and devoid of features. For obvious reasons existing veteran trees should never be deemed suitable for these practices.

The secondary benefit to this project is that veteranisation, as a process, is designed to relieve the suffocation experienced by any existing on site veteran trees thus allowing more light to them and removing resource competition. Allowing more light to the lower sections of the veteran trees can encourage epicormic growth and help the formation of a secondary canopy. It is a natural way to encourage the retrenchment of these old trees as they begin to ‘grow down’. 

All arisings were left in situ where it can degrade in time adding to the woodland’s ecosystem. This was either piled on the woodland floor, hung up in the trees themselves and in some cases left hanging, still attached. Each fulfilling the habitat creation brief as well as having their own individual benefits.