Tree Weaver

Now in residency at Lichfield Cathedral. A spectacular 13 metre long ‘Table for the Nation’ was created from a section of the nation’s most significant tree, a gigantic 5000 year old Fenland Black Oak.

Y O U R   T A B L E   A W A I T S

You can experience ‘A Table for the Nation’ at Lichfield Cathedral, where it is in residency until May 2026. The table is accompanied by an insightful exhibition which details the history of the project, Black Oak and our ancient high forests.

Many of the craftspeople who made the table feel an affinity with the work ethic of the people who built Lichfield Cathedral. We believe this results in a similar aesthetic as both the Cathedral and the table, in their own ways, evoke a sense of wonder.

SCALE AND SCALE MAJESTY
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The story begins 5000 years ago when an incredible ancient high forest of massive oak trees once stood deep within the Fenland Basin of East Anglia. Over time, and with a rise in sea levels, these spectacularly tall trees fell into the silt of the flooded forest floor. There they lay, unseen and undisturbed, preserved in the peat for five millennia. Until now…

During routine cultivations in the spring of 2012 on a farm in the Wissington Fens of south-west Norfolk, a 13.2 metre section of one of the greatest of these buried giants was unearthed.

This magnificent tree represented the greatest creative opportunity to give a unique insight into the scale and majesty of the ancient high forests growing 5000 years ago.

Against all odds, specialist craftspeople successfully milled and dried this remarkable discovery, preserving it at full length and in perpetuity.

Discovered in the year of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, it is now known as the ‘Jubilee Oak’. This is one of Britain’s most important oak trees—not just for its vast size and ancient provenance, but for the work of art now fashioned from it.

The planks from the Jubilee Oak have been used to create a unique artefact to form part of our national heritage—‘A Table for the Nation’.

An official inscription carved at one end of the Fenland Black Oak Table acknowledges the tree’s discovery in 2012, in commemoration of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee year. At the opposite end, a second inscription acknowledges the table’s completion in 2022, in commemoration of Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee year.

D I S C O V E R Y

During routine cultivations in the spring of 2012 on a farm in the Wissington Fens of south-west Norfolk, a 13.2 metre section of a 5,000 year old subfossilised Black Oak tree was unearthed.

“I have been processing Black Oaks for over 30 years but when I saw the Jubilee Oak it took my breath away.

It was not just its size but the degree of preservation; there was no evidence of insect infestation or fungal disease, and large areas of bark were still intact.

It was not until I was asked which end was the canopy and which end was the root ball that we began to fully appreciate what we were looking at. This branchless tree was so parallel that we realised it was only a small section of a much, much bigger tree.

This explained the very unusual degree of preservation; when it fell, this vast tree would have smashed and crushed everything in its way before burying itself deep into the peat—where it lay, undisturbed, for the next 5000 years.”

Hamish Low
Expert on the preservation of Black Oak and project leader

S A W M I L L I N G

With the aid of an excavator, two telehandlers (a type of telescopic forklift) and the longest sawmill in the country, some of the rarest planks in the world were milled from the Jubilee Oak. This posed several challenges.

They could not find a mobile sawmill in this country capable of milling such a huge tree, so a generous Canadian company via their UK agent loaned one. It proved easier to build the sawmill on site in the field rather than move the tree itself.

Since the Jubilee Oak had been buried for over 5000 years it was impossible to predict what this tree might gift to them when ‘opened up’. Nothing could have prepared them for what this extraordinary tree yielded. Ten magnificent, breathtakingly beautiful, consecutive planks unlike anything ever seen before.

D R Y I N G

This was the most difficult challenge: Black Oak needs to be dried artificially and very slowly. Over a period of nine months, 1795 litres of water were extracted from the planks in a purpose-built dehumidifying kiln. The planks shrank to almost half their thickness, a quarter of their width and even 150 millimetres in length.

The drying process reduced the weight of the planks by a staggering 1.8 metric tonnes!

Once successfully dried out, the Jubilee Oak planks became even more precious and a charitable trust was established to protect them, the Fenland Black Oak CIO.

D E S I G N

A multi disciplined design team was assembled under the direction of a lead designer to decide how best to preserve this incredibly rare discovery. So why did they decide on a table?

With a table, the Jubilee Oak planks could be kept at their full length and at the perfect height to be seen and touched in all their glory. Their majesty can be seen, unimpeded, from any angle.

As well as existing as a sculptural object in its own right, a table has many practical functions, such as for dining, meetings and display. A table can also be of huge symbolic value at important summits, traditional ceremonies and state events. It is, in so many ways, a perfect gift to the nation.

The design team had to come up with innovative and creative solutions to meet the various challenges of the design brief—not least that the table should be able to fold-down to mitigate its huge size, and that it should satisfy all the conservation concerns relating to the historical buildings in which it is likely to be housed.

C R E A T I O N

The planks were retained at full length and many new techniques were developed to work on their unprecedented size. The ‘River Joint’, for example, was created to not only reflect an important Fenland feature, but by using the shape and character of each individual plank, the scale of this tree can be fully appreciated at a glance. The unique visual details of the top are inspired entirely by the tree itself.

U N D E R S T R U C T U R E

The table’s understructure is made from patinated phosphor bronze, (archaeologists refer to the centuries after 3000BC as transitional between Stone and Bronze ages). Aside from its strength and beauty, it also helps with the smooth dismantling and rebuilding of the table as it moves from location to location.

The bronze hinges allow the two outer planks to be folded down, reducing the width of the table to just 900 millimetres, and the entire structure can then be wheeled effortlessly and silently by just two people to the side of a room and used as a serving table or for display. The River Joints are stunning when exposed in this way.

Reference: https://www.thefenlandblackoakproject.co.uk/our-story

Dame Judi Dench brands Harrogate Water’s plans to chop down 500 trees to expand its factory ‘an act of environmental vandalism’

Dame Judi’s comments were read out at a meeting of North Yorkshire Council’s planning committee on October 28.

The star, who is originally from York, said: ‘To destroy Rotary Wood for corporate expansion would be an act of environmental vandalism – erasing a thriving habitat planted by children and nurtured by a community that believed in protecting our future.’

Green Party Councillor Arnold Warneken, who has been involved with the campaign for four years, shared the comments on behalf of Dame Judi.

He said the actress has strong local ties, including her late father working as a GP in the area, adding: ‘It helped draw attention to a wider audience, so it was very useful in that respect.’

Dame Judi has other links to Harrogate. She is a long-time patron of Harrogate Theatre, as well as a patron of the Woodland Trust, and has consistently used her platform to champion environmental issues. Last year, she joined forces with fellow actress Emma Thompson to call on the government to back nature recovery through Chris Packham’s Restore Nature Now campaign.

Richard Hall, the managing director of Harrogate Spring Water, told councillors the expansion plans would create 50 jobs.

He added: ‘The central matter of concern raised during the consultations was the loss of trees in Rotary Wood.

‘Our proposal will create a new area of publicly accessible woodland the same size as the area that would be lost.’

But Neil Hind, of the Save Rotary Wood campaign group, said: ‘The site forms part of the Pinewoods green corridor, a living woodland used daily for walking, education and wellbeing.

‘This is not just a spare piece of land. Its loss would be permanent and contrary to council policies.’

Councillor John Mann said more than 1,000 objections had been lodged – compared to just 11 expressions of support.

The committee ultimately voted to defer the decision until a future meeting when more information is available.

Councillors had asked for a clear explanation on how exactly the lost trees would be replaced – as well as more details on plans for a new wet woodland near the bottling plant.

Sarah Gibbs, a Rotary Wood Campaigner stated on her faceback page ‘Save Rotary Wood – Again’

“I want to thank everyone who turned up today with banners, masks, an awesome bat costume: Extinction Rebellion Harrogate Red Rebels, Zero Carbon Harrogate, Long Lands Common, the brilliant brass band, our four-legged furry friends, everyone. You are all AMAZING!

Though this is not the outcome we wanted, it’s a opportunity to keep growing the community of resistance and continue to hold our Council to account.

Stay strong. Stay connected. Watch this space for possible future meetings to discuss next steps.

HISTORY

Over the past five years, the Harrogate and District Green Party have been working with local groups and the community to stop the development of community land by a plastic water bottling factory. It’s a campaign based on David and Goliath. The local community is trying to stop an international conglomerate from taking much used public land to the detriment of the environment and local ecosystem.

In 2017, Harrogate Sping Water (owned by Danone) was granted outline planning permission to extend their factory into Rotary Wood. Harrogate Borough Council owns this established woodland, an environmental and community asset. In 2019, they applied to extend this extension to cover two acres of the woods, which was rejected again in 2021 after a fight by the local community and TV presenter Julia Bradbury.

References: Daily Mail, Daily Express, The Green Party, Facebook Action Group.

What happens when a group of people sends daily love and appreciation to a tree?

A small group of 8 people did just that – spending 10 minutes each day for 6 days, sitting quietly near Sugar Gum Maple Tree #4 and directing their love and appreciation toward it.

The result? The tree appeared to respond! (Check out the graphic in the video and look at the black trace on the graph!) Tree #4 showed a noticeable increase in the amplitude of its circadian rhythm – suggesting a dynamic, living connection between human emotion and the natural world.

This is part of HeartMath Institute’s Tree Rhythms: A Citizen Science Project – exploring the energetic link between people, nature, and all living systems. Learn more at https://treerhythms.net.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1JWD6ZR3Lx/

“The forest princely robes receives,
Inwrought with gold and crimson leaves,
With fairy tints and brilliant dyes
Like sunset’s glory-lighted skies.”
~ Phebe A. Holder

Artwork by Tarn Ellis Art

There’s a message on the Autumn breeze
It whispers softly through the trees
Of leaves that dance in shades of gold,
A tale of change, both bright and bold.

The birds are gathered, taking flight,
To warmer lands, away from sight,
They leave behind the chilly air,
In search of sunshine, warmth, and care.

The fields are ripe with harvest’s yield,
As nature offers up its shield,
The flowers bow, their colours fade,
In restful slumber, they’re remade.

The trees stand silent, bare and wise,
As sunsets paint the evening skies,
This season’s growth has run its course,
Each creature’s journey from its source.

So let us too take time to rest,
As nature has given up it’s best,
And now we adhere to Autumns flow,
Of understanding and letting go ..

C.E. Coombes.

Serendipity Corner

Glasgow’s “Argyle Street Ash” has been crowned Tree of the Year 2025 after being nominated by the public as this year’s wildcard entry.

The tree, which stands tall on one of the Scottish city’s busiest roads, was named the winner of the Woodland Trust’s competition on Thursday after several weeks of public voting.

Earlier this year, a panel of experts selected nine trees of differing ages and species for the shortlist, while the public were allowed to choose a 10th as a wildcard.

Those nominated included an oak that may have inspired Virginia Woolf and a lime representing peace in Northern Ireland, a nod to this year’s theme of “rooted in culture”.

But it was the Argyle Street Ash that pulled in the most votes after being put forward by David Treanor – an arborist from Glasgow who has been managing the tree in recent years.

Mr Treanor pointed to its reference in the 1951 book by journalist James Cowan, From Glasgow’s Treasure Chest, in which he describes the Argyle Street tree as “quite the most graceful ash I have seen”.

This quote hangs framed in the pub opposite the tree, which hosts Gaelic live music events.

As the winner of the competition, the ash will now progress to represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals in early 2026.

The Glasgow tree narrowly beat the “King of Limbs” oak that inspired a Radiohead album, and the photographic “Lonely Tree”, which sits on the edge of the Llyn Padarn lake in North Wales.

The ancient “Lady Jane Grey Oak” in Leicester’s Bradgate Park, and a majestic cedar with low-sweeping boughs where The Beatles were photographed at London’s Chiswick House, completed the top five in the rankings.

The Woodland Trust said the “rooted in culture” theme was chosen to celebrate how trees shape the cultural landscape in literature, music, poetry and art.

Adam Cormack, head of campaigning at the charity, said: “Trees really matter to people, and this is clear from the response we’ve seen to the Argyle Street Ash.

“Trees inspire us to write stories and create art, whilst connecting us to cultural legacies and a sense of place.

“We encourage people to notice and enjoy the trees around them, and learn more about how they benefit us – from boosting biodiversity and wellbeing, to mitigating the effects of climate change.”

Laura Chow, head of charities at People’s Postcode Lottery, which supported the competition, said, These trees, rooted in culture, show how valued they are by their communities, and the significant importance they have in our wider cultural history.

“What a worthy winner the Argyle Street Ash is.”

TheNational.scot

Historic West Midlands woodlands walk opened for the first time in nearly 1,000 years with 190,000 new trees.

A new woodland walk granting access to previously private woodlands has been opened by Bradford Estates as part of work to make the estates more accessible to the public.

The ‘Bradford Walk’ was officially unveiled by Sir William Worsley, chair of the Forestry Commission, on Wednesday September 24th.

The estates, bordering Shropshire and Staffordshire, are home to historic woodlands which cover almost 10 per cent of the land and for nearly 1,000 years access has been private.

The new walk, however, now offers public access – combining 10 miles of newly-created permissive paths with existing paths to enhance connectivity.

Alexander Newport, managing director of Bradford Estates, said: “We want to open up our beautiful estates in a sensitive way and create connectivity for both native wildlife and the local community as well as visitors to the area.

“In these times, when people are calling for more green space, access to nature has never been more important.

“As an organisation, we are also acutely aware of the Climate Emergency and believe this scheme will contribute towards the nation’s net zero targets.”

The new walk is part of Bradford Estates’ 100-Year Plan, championed by custodians Alexander and Eliza Newport, and the project integrates historic woodland with newly planted areas.

More than 190,000 new trees have been planted to create connectivity through the landscape for people and wildlife – with the planting and access funded through the English Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO), administered by the Forestry Commission.

The project supports Bradford Estates’ aim to increase woodland cover on its landholding to 20 per cent over the next 15 years to help capture carbon dioxide as a contribution towards the UK’s net zero targets.

The planting of the trees was completed by the end of the 2025 planting season with the trails construction completed subsequently along with wayfinding, gates and other infrastructure.

In an innovative approach, the planting has been entirely plastic-free. Bradford Estates invested nearly double the usual costs to use eco-friendly tree guards made from cotton and pine resin to help eliminate plastic from the environment and reduce the CO2 generated through manufacturing and transportation.

‘The Bradford Walk’ – which according to the Forestry Commission has become the longest public path funded via the England Woodland Creation Offer (EWCO) scheme – also aims to address the current fragmentation of public rights of way in the area, creating a cohesive network linking pleasure grounds, carriageways and heritage assets such as Weston Park, Boscobel House and Tong village.

Eliza Newport, of Bradford Estates and trustee of The Tree Council, said: “During Covid, we walked the forests and lakes on the estates and were inspired to find a way to open up these beautiful natural spaces for the community to enjoy. We wanted to reverse the trend of declining tree planting, maintain the lush forests and restore woodland habitats for today and for future generations to enjoy.

“It has taken almost five years, but we are proud to see this vision come to life.”

Keith Jones, area director at the Forestry Commission, said: “It’s fantastic to see the new woodland being planted at Bradford Estates. This project is an example of how landowners can play a key role in helping to achieve the national target for woodland cover in England and net zero target.

“The expansion of timber-producing woodlands, alongside improvements in water quality, nature recovery, and river ecosystems, is incredibly positive, as is offering the local community easier access to the woodlands and surrounding countryside.”

Future plans for the permissive trails include parking facilities, art installations and possibly a playground, establishing a community facility that will enable Bradford Estates to hold events and other activities.

Anyone wanting to find out more about the project can email enquiries@bradford-estates.co.uk

This green canopy is not a forest. It is a single tree. The world’s largest Cashew Tree of Pirangi also called (Maior Cajueiro do Mundo) in Natal, Brazil, covers more than 8,500 square meters, and its circumference is about 500 meters spreading across an entire city block. A natural giant hiding in plain view. It has the size of 70 normally sized cashew trees.

This tree is recognized {in 1994} by the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s largest cashew tree.

Its immense size is attributed to a genetic anomaly that causes its branches to grow horizontally and bend downwards, rooting themselves in the soil and forming new trunks.

Only one of the tree’s five branches has a normal behaviour and stopped growing when it reached the ground. Locals call this branch “Salário mínimo”, or “Minimum wage”. The upkeep of Maior Cajueiro do Mundo is a somewhat controversial subject in the city of Natal. The tree is still growing and is now pushing against the boundaries of the park established for it. Without pruning, it will soon overrun one of the main roads through the city.

The tree produces 70 to 80 thousand cashew nuts or 2.5 tons annually.

Some say the tree was planted in 1888 by a hunter/fisherman called Luis Inacio de Oliver. Whilst others believe it is thousand of years old.

Strolling inside the sprawling canopy, you may think you are walking in an entire lush, green forest of cashew trees. Making the experience even more wonderful is the beautiful drive along the Brazilian coast down from Natal. Just follow the cashew-shaped signs and you will be at the tree in 20 minutes. Admission is cheap. Yes, they charge admission to a tree.

The tree is surrounded by an equal or greater amount of acreage dedicated to souvenir shops selling all sorts of cashew-themed souvenirs.  The cashew-flavoured cachaca (a Brazilian sugar cane based alcohol) is highly recommended to bottle those memories of your visit to O Maior Cajueiro do Mundo, the World’s Largest Cashew Tree.

In the UK, heatwaves are significantly impacting trees, causing them to exhibit signs of stress like premature leaf drop, browning, and even branch drop. These conditions are exacerbated by the frequency of heatwaves, which reduces the trees’ ability to recover between events.

Here’s a more detailed look at the effects:

Direct Impacts:

Leaf Damage:
Trees are responding to the heat by prematurely dropping leaves, which can be a sign of dehydration or a way to conserve energy and water. The leaves may also turn yellow or brown, especially at the edges, before falling.

Branch Drop:
Trees may shed branches (summer branch drop) to reduce water loss and stress, which can be dangerous to people nearby.

Reduced Photosynthesis:
Extreme heat can disrupt the process of photosynthesis, affecting the tree’s ability to produce energy.

Weakened Structure:
Rapid growth stimulated by warmer temperatures can lead to weaker tree structures, making them more susceptible to wind damage and disease.

Disrupted Dormancy:
Prolonged warmth can disrupt the natural dormancy cycle, leading to premature budding and flowering, which can be damaged by late frosts.

Indirect Impacts:

Increased Pest and Disease Risk:
Drought stress can lower a tree’s defenses against pests and diseases, making it more vulnerable.

Competition:
Warmer conditions can favor certain non-native species, potentially outcompeting native trees.

Changes in Growth:
Rising temperatures can lead to faster but potentially shorter-lived growth patterns.

Specific Tree Species Affected:

Silver birch and rowan: are currently being most impacted by heatwaves, with early leaf turning being recorded.

Oak, ash, and Norway maple: are also showing signs of stress, including leaf drop and deadwood formation.

English oaks: are losing leaves and producing deadwood.

Magnolias: are exhibiting signs of stress.

Heatwaves leave London’s trees under extreme stress

London has one of the largest urban forests in the world with over 8 million trees on private and public land. But this summer they are under extreme stress due to three heatwaves and a lack of rain.

A council in London has now warned people not to sit or congregate under large trees after a rise in the number of falling branches.

Harrow Council says there has been an increase of sudden branch drop syndrome, which it says has been made worse by the heatwaves.

And experts at the charity Trees for Cities are expecting to see an increase in trees dying or dropping branches as the climate warms.

With London expecting to see higher temperatures in the future due to a warming climate, trees are seen as being hugely important for reducing carbon and pollution, while also cooling areas.

The mayor of London has vowed to increase the city’s tree canopy by 10% by 2050 to combat higher temperatures.

But conditions are getting harder for certain native species to thrive.

Trees for Cities are a charity that plant and look after trees.

Seb Herst is senior urban forest coordinator and says tree maintenance will become increasingly key.

“Obviously we don’t want to give up on all of the native trees that we have in the UK. They support a lot of the local wildlife and species from other places won’t support the same wildlife.

“So it’s a mix of making sure the native species we have are cared for, but also picking the same species except one that’s more adapted to the changing climate. So for example taking an oak from southern France that can cope with the climate we are predicting here.”

He adds that “maintenance is also super important. London has very small tree pits for example, maybe we could have bigger tree pits? We have condensed soils. How can we aerate soil more so it can contain moisture and severe downpours?

“Now we are seeing the climate shift so we are going to have to change how we look after trees as well.”

Mete Coban is the deputy mayor for environment for London. He says climate change is affecting London now.

“We know the heatwaves are having a huge impact on species and trees.

“What we need to do is continue to roll out more trees so we can be more resilient to extreme heat, and the impacts of climate change.

“But also what we need to do is get the right types of trees and species and make sure we have the right infrastructure in place to protect our trees because ultimately we are going to see more and more hotter temperatures across our city. “

Georgie Power is senior urban forest coordinator at the charity Trees for Cities.

She was taking part in the work in Greenford, watering trees and adding bark mulch around the roots to help keep the moisture in.

She believes that with rising temperatures we can expect to see more trees under stress.

“What we think sudden branch drop syndrome is, is when trees are put under extreme heat and drought, it’s something similar to self-amputation. So the trees aren’t getting enough water into the branches and they’re cutting off branches to preserve the rest of the tree.

“We can see from this summer – April, May, June – they have been absolutely roasting this summer. All the trees have been under huge amounts of pressure.”

Georgie adds: “We know with climate change we are going to get more increases in temperature overall, because of that we are going to get more of things like trees dying but also the sudden branch drop syndrome as well.

“We do have to pick different species already with climate change. A good example is with the Alder tree. At the moment, Trees for Cities is planting a lot more Italian Alder because it is more climate resilient and more resilient to droughts and flooding as opposed to the common Alder.

“So we are already picking trees that are going to be better suited to our climate in the very near future.”

Reference – BBC News

Located in the Perry Sandhills is a magnificent Murray River Red Gum Tree (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), which is over 500 years old. Over time, the sand has completely covered the trunk of the tree (perhaps 15’ to 20’), so that you are able to stand in the canopy of this age-old tree – a magnificent sight!

The God Tree can be found a ten minute drive from Wentworth in NSW via a sealed road, it’s located on its own, slightly to the left of the driveway and over the first sand dune. From this point you get a great view of this remarkable area, only 5km from the confluence of Australia’s two greatest rivers, the Murray & Darling, yet you could be in the Sahara desert.

The Perry Sandhills are named for George Perry, the first Land Commissioner to serve this area. Moorna Station, just past the Sandhills, was where the visiting dignitaries stayed whilst in the area – (Moorna was to become a new town and surveyor pegs are still able to be found on the property). The dunes are located just outside of Wentworth, (6km from PO), on the Old Renmark Road and are a unique land formation of continuously shifting sand dunes.

The four hundred acres of rolling red sandhills are geologically traceable to the Barkindji Aboriginal people and also the last Ice Age (approximately 40,000 years ago). Aboriginal burial grounds are in the vicinity of the dunes, (Snaggy Bend), and artefacts and fossils of Australia’s giant mega-fauna (large bear-animal – diprotodon; huge kangaroo – procoptodon golia; marsupial lion – thylacoleo; giant emu – genyornis newtonii and giant goanna – megalania prisca), have been found. Local artist Jim Curry has created mega-fauna replicas of the above mentioned and they can be viewed in a diorama at Wentworth’s Rotary Pioneer Museum. Also, bones of smaller animals, such as the hairy-nosed wombat, bilby and bettong, have been located in the dunes

The Pioneer Museum has good information which explains the early archaeological conditions in the area and how the dunes were formed. The archaeological ‘treasures’ indicate the area is of the same timeframe as Mungo National Park. However, the red sand of the region is highly fertile and with water available from the Darling and Murray Rivers, the district produces the grapes and citrus that Sunraysia became famous for when WW2 returned soldiers were granted small holdings of land.

The sandhills were used as a bombing range during WWII. Now, the area is used as the location of filming many scenes from Australian and international films, including “The Man from Snowy River II”, “Burke & Wills”, “Flying Doctors” and “Boney”. The children’s television series, “Ocean Girl” and “Thunder Stone”, have utilised the Sandhills for scenes, and the dunes have been used for many television commercials and also music videos (including Slim Dusty’s ‘Looking Forward – Looking Back’).

https://www.thedarlingriverrun.com.au/directory/explore-perry-sandhills/