Helen brrigsBBC Environment Correspondent And
Guindaf hughesScientist
Dr. Ed Pine snatched a leaf from Druids oak, an 800 year old tree that has been seen on this woodland in Buckinghamshire for centuries, drought, storm, heatwave and more.
“We know that this tree is a survivor,” he says, taking a leaf sample for DNA testing.
“Is it just that it is lucky? Is it leading a stress-free life? Or is something special about the gene of this tree?”
Conservation of charity, scientists, Woodland Trusts, think the secrets of such remarkable flexibility in their DNA.
Experts want to understand how oaks can live for 1,000 years or more, opposing dangers such as climate change and bounce back from the disease – knowledge that can be important in restoring Britain’s declining woodlands.
“By searching for the genome of ancient trees, we can understand how to better manage them so that we can secure their future for generations to come,” Dr. of Tree Charity. Emma Gilamartin, The Orborical Recruitment Association, which is included in the project.
English oaks are one of the best trees in Britain, which are widely growing in parks, gardens and rural areas.
When they reach the age of about 400 years, they are classified as ancient.
By studying the DNA of ancient oak, scientists are expected to highlight the genes behind the long life of trees and their ability to avoid climate extremes.
This information will be used to plant the best oak trees to restore the woodlands and bring back wildlife.
About 50 of Britain’s most famous ancient oak will be studied, including:
Druids oak
- Managed by the city of London Corporation located within a Nature Reserve in Buckinghamshire
- The possibility of a tree is of the 13th century, causing it to exceed many historical buildings.
- The tree has a disgusting and height of about 9 meters
- It has been poledated, meaning that its upper branches historically were cut back to encourage regrowth over the access of animals, which gives it a specific squat shape.
- The ox was revealed by the ancient druids, which may have inspired the name of the tree.
Crach Oak
- Adulton found on a busy high road in Surrey
- One of the oldest in Boro, it is considered at least 800 years old
- The name “Crach Oak” can come from the middle of the middle English word Crach, which is probably indicated by its use as a limit marker
- After Elizabeth, it is also said that it is also known as a picnic tree of Queen Elizabeth.
Also their cultural and historical values, oxes are a shelter for wildlife.
They support more lives than species of any other native tree in the UK, hosting more than 2,300 species, including birds, mammals, insects, fungi, and lynches.
Their leaves feed the caterpillars, their bark bats and beetles of shelters, and maintain mammals and birds through their acorn winter.
Some of these species are very rare, such as Mokas Beetle, which live on only 14 old oak trees in Mokas Park, Hearfordshire.
In the National Nature Reserve, adjacent to Mokas Park, they are putting oak in the heart of attempting to restore the conservationist landscape.
They are restoring a natural wildlife-rich residence made of populated open grasslands with ancient trees, known as wooden pastures.
The acorn of the ancient oak which have been standing in the area for centuries, are being collected and younger are grown in oak trees, then put back where they were standing once. The Konifer who was not part of the natural habitat was once planted here, but is being removed and the Woodlands have been restored.
This has revived rare species, including hundreds of separate flies and beetles, rare bats and woodland birds.
Tom Simpson of Natural England, the agency of the UK government, responsible for protecting and improving the natural environment of England, says, “We are really looking for a kind of bounce in the bird population,” the UK government agency Natural England says, “Government of Natural England responsible for protecting and improving the natural environment of England.
“In a short time – this is 16 years of restoration – we are actually seeing the recovery of nature on this site.”
As the loss of climate change and habitat becomes major problems, conservationists want better protection and care for ancient trees. Older trees cannot be replaced – they take decades or centuries time to develop and support many other living things.
Saul Herbert of the Woodland Trust says that there is a need to further protect these “living legends”.
“We need to find out where they are and we need to join with people and communities to ensure that these trees are given importance and take care of ecological, cultural and historical values that they bring in our scenario,” they say.