There are few more pastoral images than that of an Oak tree,
solitary, marking the boundaries of farmer’s fields. These grand, imposing trees have captured a sense of heritage and majesty due to their great size and greater longevity.
We have two native species in the British Isles; the English Oak (Quercus Robur) and the Sessile Oak (Quercus Petraea). Historically oaks have fittingly commemorated kings and emperors. Recently a huge slab of Black Bog Oak was made into a table and used to commemorate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.
Passing by different Oaks, I’m consistently arrested by many of the same features; the contorted shapes that they can create with laborious, thick branches and the knotted wood that makes them so distinct.
Our appreciation for the Oak may not be matched but there may be a tree that better appropriates our sense of Britain. The Venus of the woods. Worthy of the name, the Ash tree (Fraxinus Excelsior) performs best on northernly and western hills and where it does not need to compete against other trees. In this setting, the Ash is free to enact its grace and form upon countryside, contorting itself to follow the passage of the sun.
The native Ash is under continued threat from Ash Dieback, a fungal disease that spreads from dead plant litter. It is estimated that the UK will see an estimated 80% loss to its Ash tree population. The Woodland Trust continues to monitor the rate of dieback spread and research new ways that some trees may be protected. Ash also has great commercial value to the country as well. Unlike Oak trees which require seventy plus years to reach maturity, Ash can be felled within twenty years. This leads to a new apparent issue that has been introduced.
The UK is not replacing trees that are being felled for commercial reasons within the expected requirements set out by the government.
The overall tree cover in the country is depleting at a time when it is needed more than ever.
The drop in tree cover is leading to an active reduction in Britain’s capability to capture carbon effectively. This is further compounded by the fact that any new plants that are planted will have a greater risk of failure to establish or grow and, will not be able to contribute toward the current rate of CO2 reduction, until they have grown to maturity. This is also at a time where every industry leader and every right leaning politician directs climate concern anxieties to the future promise of carbon capture and storage. Technology which does not yet exist and may not perform as those proponents believe it will.
Where is the leadership?
An increasing number of conservative MPs have suggested that it is the continued push towards net zero that is causing the crisis in energy and leading to the increase in fuel costs. Jacob Rees-Mogg stated on the Any Questions program on July 8th that it would be more appropriate for the government to not have continual climate targets but rather to lurch to a net-zero status on the predisposed date. This faith doesn’t exist in a vacuum, the push for a rejection of a managed reduction in climate targets was presented for consideration by multiple candidates during the Conservative Leadership election. A continuation of the cognitive dissonance that allows the rate of emissions to continue to increase all that time, drives the need for the net-zero state to be reached far earlier than the current timeline. Reduced tree cover only increases the damaging effects of climate that we are already facing. It also fails to appreciate that the leading force for carbon capture that we have readily available, trees, sea grasses and peat bogs, will all be heavily impacted by the consequences of climate change; Fire, warming seas, unseasonable weather.
What can we do?
Oaks do have another contributory factor that means we should be grateful for these wonderful shield bearers; the bark of the oak tree is able to accommodate the most amount of insect life. More than almost any other tree.
Plant new Trees
New trees can be purchased through The Woodland Trust
As the saying goes; the best time to plant a tree was yesterday but we can still support the efforts to increase the tree stock in the UK by purchasing new trees and planting these in our gardens or community areas.
The Woodland trust have produced a comprehensive guide to 31 native tree species, ideal for planting.
The issues of Ash Dieback aren’t going away any time soon so it’s not encouraged to plant new Ash trees but both species of Oaks are recommended in the Woodland Trust planting guide. This solid favourite may not be the idyllic goddess of the wood, but if we can foster the reverence our ancestors had for these trees, maybe the trees we plant today will see the results of our reconnection with the world around us.
Report Diseased Trees
Most local authorities have reporting processes for Ash Dieback, especially in the south east.
Reports can also be submitted through Tree Alert managed by Forest Research.
Planting As A Community
thenaturalrepublic.co.uk 
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