Landmark tree for Gleneagles
Conservationists plant 1000th conifer at hotel
A 1000- year- old Japanese tree is to become the 1000th tree planted by the Perthshire Conifer Conservation Programme.
The tree will now be planted in the grounds of Gleneagles Hotel, with Bernard Murphy, the hotel’s managing director, being presented with the tree earlier this week.
The tree, a 1000-year-old Japanese cedar, was grown at the Gokurakuji Temple above Hiroshima City in Japan, and conservationists believe the species could become threatened within the next five years.
Doug Flint, Perthshire Conifer Conservation Programme’s project officer, said: “It is only fitting that our 1000th tree comes from a 1000-yearold one. We are also delighted that the 1000th Perthshire Conifer Conservation Programme tree will be planted close to our first tree planted in 2008 at Gleneagles when we launched the programme.”
Gleneagles Hotel have been working with the conservation programme over the years to help create a network of landowners providing safe havens for threatened trees in their gardens and estates, with trees from across the globe including from the USA, North Africa and Chile.
Thanks to this project, around 110 endangered trees are planted every year by the programme with Gleneagles donating £ 230,000 to support Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust, who manage the on- going tree conservation programmme.
Bernard Murphy, managing director at Gleneagles, said: “Having provided sanctuary in our estate for the first tree on this important conservation programme, we’re delighted to commemorate the success of the scheme by accepting the 1000th tree.
“We are proud of our partnership with the Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust - which has allowed us to make a significant contribution to the important activities of the Perthshire Conifer Conservation Programme and other conservation initiatives in the region, and provided the opportunity for us to play our small part in safeguarding the world’s vital natural assets for future generations.”