Twelve ancient oak trees compete for Tree of the Year competition

The Bowthorpe Oak close to Bourne in Lincolnshire is greater than 1,000 years previous

BBC The Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire in summer with a group of people stood beneath its branches. The girth is wide and there are green leaves on its branches. — The Bowthorpe Oak close to Bourne in Lincolnshire is greater than 1,000 years previous

A dozen centuries-old oak timber have been shortlisted for the annual Tree of the Year contest.

Contenders embody the 1,200-year-old Marton Oak in Cheshire, the Bowthorpe Oak in Lincolnshire, which has carved graffiti courting again lots of of years, and one of many final surviving timber from an historical Scottish forest.

The shortlist was chosen by a panel of specialists from the Woodland Trust charity.

An on-line public ballot will choose the winner, which is able to then go ahead to compete within the European Tree of the Year contest early in 2025.

Dr Kate Lewthwaite, citizen science supervisor on the Trust, mentioned: “We selected the long-lasting oak as a result of it captures folks’s imaginations.

“From their leaves to their acorns, these timber are ingrained in our heritage and the ancients are so spectacular by way of their sheer measurement and age.

“It’s humbling to assume what number of occasions these timber have lived by, and that reaching full maturity they will stand for lots of of years as historical timber – all of the whereas persevering with to supply important habitat as they hole and produce useless wooden.”

The Queen Elizabeth Oak in Sussex is believed to have been used as a navigation support by Queen Elizabeth I

PA Media The Queen Elizabeth oak in Sussex hollowed out with a wooden fence around it. The branches on the tree are bare. — The Queen Elizabeth Oak in Sussex is believed to have been used as a navigation support by Queen Elizabeth I

The oldest on the listing, the Marton Oak, additionally has the UK’s widest trunk with a 46ft (14m) girth.

The Lincolnshire oak is the second widest on the listing and stands close to the village of Bourne.

It is hole and it’s claimed 36 folks as soon as stood in it.

In Scotland, the Capon Tree within the Scottish Borders is among the few timber left from the Jedforest woodland, which was lower down to supply timber for shipbuilding.

A Welsh contender is the Gregynog Oak, which stands within the Great Wood within the grounds of Gregynog Hall in Powys.

The Darwin Oak in Shrewsbury is greater than 500 years previous and stands near the childhood house of Victorian scientist Charles Darwin.

The tree and eight others of comparable age are as a consequence of be felled to make means for a reduction street.

More than 100,000 folks have signed a petition to save lots of the timber.

Plans to chop down the Darwin Oak in Shrewsbury has attracted protests

The trunk of the Darwin Oak in Shrewsbury has placards pinned to it protesting about plans to cut it down to build a road. One of the placards reads 'this magnificent tree has stood on this spot for 550 years. Charles Darwin grew up just down the road at The Mount and spent many hours studying the geology and ecology here. — Plans to chop down the Darwin Oak in Shrewsbury has attracted protests

The Woodland Trust mentioned the listing highlights that “historical timber have little or no authorized safety”.

As properly as voting within the competitors, the charity is asking the general public to signal its Living Legends petition, calling for stronger legal guidelines round chopping down helpful timber.

Adam Cormack, head of campaigns on the Trust, mentioned it was “important that future generations have the chance to face beneath a centuries-old oak and marvel what tales it holds”.

He mentioned: “The historical past of our nation is interwoven with these great timber, which have constructed our ships and cities and after which we’ve got named so many locations and pubs.”

Others on the listing embody: