THE ANCIENT TREES OF ROTHLEY
All the trees are recorded under a Site Number with 128 sites identified by field, spinney, road, garden or public space. All trees are given a number, recorded in duplicate on a Tree Recording Form with one set to the Community Heritage Initiative based at Holly Hayes in Birstall and one that I retain for the parish.
The following is a general record of the Rothley Trees at February 2006.
Ancient Trees are those with a girth at chest height of a minimum of 3.77 metres, Ash with a minimum of 3 metres and others that are classed as Ancient without a minimum girth due to species or interest. Smaller trees have been included in my records as they are our future.
Ancient Oak
Ancient Oaks recorded 123.
Ancient Oak Stumps 9
Oaks 3-3.7 metres 170.
Greatest Oak has a girth of 7.51 metres (24ft 8in).
ANCIENT ASH
Recorded Ancient Ash 34.
Ash up to 3 metres 44
Greatest Ash has a girth of 4.6 metres (15ft 1in
WELLINGTONIA
Recorded Wellingtonia 2
Greatest Wellingtonia has a girth of 6 metres (23ft 6in).
ANCIENT LIME
Recorded Ancient Limes 6
Limes up to 3.7 metres 24
Greatest Lime has a girth of 4.2 metres (13ft 5in) shown above.
ANCIENT GREEN BEECH
ANCIENT COPPER BEECH
Recorded Ancient Copper Beech 4
Greatest Copper Beech, one of the pair shown above, has a girth of 4.98 metres (16ft 6in).
ANCIENT HORNBEAM
ANCIENT HORSE CHESTNUTS
Recorded Ancient Horse Chestnuts 3.
Horse Chestnuts up to 3.7 metres 11.
Greatest Horse Chestnut has a girth of 4.3 metres (13ft 10in).
ANCIENT WALNUT
Recorded Ancient Walnuts 8 (Ancient Walnuts have a minimum girth of 1.22 metres).
Greatest Walnut has a girth of 3.2 metres (10ft 6in).
Horticultural Research International based in Kent is building up a record of all the Walnuts in Britain and looking for those with a girth of 4ft or more as they make excellent 'parent' trees from which they can take graft wood for breeding saplings for future Walnut forests. The Rothley trees have been recorded on their database.
ANCIENT WILLOW
Recorded Ancient Willows 6.
Other Willows up to a girth of 3.7 metres 7.
Greatest Willow has a girth of 4.9 metres (16ft
ANCIENT BLUE CEDAR
Recorded Blue Cedars 3, the largest having a girth of 3.3 metres
ANCIENT ALDER
RECORDING CONTINUING ON OTHER SPECIES
Records also made for Maple, Hawthorn, Poplar sp., Silver Birch and Sycamore.
TOTAL NUMBER OF TREES RECORDED TO APRIL 2013
Total of 635.
There are still many to be recorded to give a complete picture of our trees, not just for species, but their ability to survive as Ancient Trees of the future.