During January and February we will be cutting back vegetation around the veteran oak to allow more light to fall onto the tree itself.

Thirty years ago this 450-year old tree stood on a field boundary and so received far more direct sunlight than it does currently. Our plan, informed by advice from a professional ancient-tree specialist, is to cut back the surrounding trees and bushes so there is more light getting through to the oak.

This practice is called “halo release”.

As well as preventing overshadowing of the oak’s crown, this should encourage what is called “epicormic growth”: the development of new branches from the main stems of the tree. More leaves will form on this new growth and this will strengthen the tree helping it to continue to thrive.

Over time the tree will shed some of its older branches; the new epicormic growth will help the oak continue in good health despite such inevitable losses.

What is proposed?

Most of the tall vegetation under or very close to the oak’s canopy will be coppiced close to ground level. (New growth will emerge from the stumps so in a few years’ time we will coppice these again – but without allowing as much growth as now.)

It will be much easier to see the oak and appreciate its magnificent size as it will dominate the woodland clearing – importantly the surrounding woodland will not be touched so retaining the special atmosphere in this part of the Set-aside.

The cut wood will be placed around the oak to reduce footfall which over time would compact the ground around the oak’s roots, harming the tree by impacting on root development and impairing drainage.

This is a problem that others have faced – for example in Kew Gardens and at the Major Oak in Sherwood Forest.

It will still be possible to access our oak but we will be creating a new path to it as part of the halo release activities.