Veteran oaks

Our Prime Tree is probably 350 years old. Our oldest oak – Broad Oak – is probably 680 years old. How have these trees lived so long – do they have DNA ‘superpowers’ that enable them to survive challenges that kill off lesser trees, or is it just good luck? 

Two recent articles on the BBC website ask the same questions. The first is about a project that’s aiming to create nine new woodlands on the Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire, and the second is about research on how ancient oaks live so long that scientists hope will help protect and restore Britain’s depleted forest ecosystems. 

We are using acorns from veteran trees around Oxfordshire to create our own new woodland at Bear Wood. Perhaps in 700 years’ time our successors will be seeing the “fruits” of our planting!