Ancient yews investigated

Anumber of yew trees in the UK are being forensically investigated to better understand how and why they perished.

The Newlands Corner yews, near Guildford, Surrey, are one of the oldest large populations of wild yews growing anywhere in the world, some possibly more than 5,000 years old. Some are over 6m in girth. The Newlands Corner study hopes to discover the cause of death so lessons can be learned to save and protect ancient yews throughout the country. Toby Hindson of the UK’s Ancient Yew Group, supported by charity The Conservation Foundation, will undertake the research.

“Discovery of a ‘signature of decline’ in ancient yew tree rings would be a great coup, an example of the meeting of high science and conservation,” explained Toby. “This kind of knowledge can reliably inform better practice and solutions to conservation problems.”

Currently celebrating its 40th anniversary, for the millennium The Conservation Foundation distributed almost 8,000 young yews to churches propagated from ancient trees, some estimated to be alive at the time of Christ. It’s currently raising funds for its Heritage Tree campaign.

Visit www.conservation foundation.co.uk/sectors/ heritagetrees.