The home of Robin
Hood needs
massive rescue plan
to reserve decline of
ancient trees
The Associated Press
from iht.com on the Web, November 5, 2007
EDWINSTOWE, England, Nov. 2 --
If Robin Hood lived today, the sheriff of Nottingham wouldn't need to look too
hard to find him hiding in Sherwood Forest.
The forest once spread 100,000 acres (40,000 hectares) across the county of
Nottingham, from Nottinghamshire in the south to Sheffield in the north. Today
the core of the forest is about 450 acres (180 hectares), with patches spread
out through the rest of the county.
Experts are worried that if they don't act soon, they won't be able to
regenerate the forest and save the rare and endangered ancient oaks at its
heart.
Some 15 organizations have joined together to draw up a rescue plan, hoping to
win a 50 million pound (US$100;€70 million) grant through a television
competition in December.
"If you ask someone to think of something typically English or British, they
think of the Sherwood Forest and Robin Hood," said Austin Brady, the regional
director of the East Midlands Conservancy Forestry Commission. "They are
part of our national identity ... but the Sherwood forest is a real place and
the real forest needs help too."
The forest is beloved for its connection to Robin Hood, the legendary figure who
supposedly lived in the forest in the 13th century. The most popular
legends say he was a dispossessed nobleman who stole from the rich and gave to
the poor, using the forest to escape his nemesis, the sheriff of Nottingham.
One of the oldest and most celebrated is Major Oak near Edwinstowe, the town
where legend has it Robin wed Maid Marion in the church of St. Mary.
Historians believe it and other Sherwood oaks could have been saplings back in
Robin's time.
Park rangers say that makes the collection of ancient oaks one of the greatest
in Europe. But they have been worried about an increase in the trees' rate
of decline.
Over the centuries, the forest was carved up for different reasons; timber for
medieval ships; land plowed for agriculture and coal mines; development for
surrounding towns. Wood from the forest was even used to build London's
St. Paul's Cathedral.
Now, the ravages of age and, some fear, climate change, are taking its toll.
It had been common for one of the veteran oaks to fall per year, but this year
alone seven have come down and the rate seems to be accelerating, said Izi
Banton, the forest's chief ranger.
Currently there are 997 of the ancient oaks in the central 450 acres (180
hectares), known as the "beating heart of the forest" to rangers, Banton said.
About 450 oaks are still living, and of those, 250 are good shape, while the
other 200 are particularly vulnerable. The remaining trees — more than
half — are standing deadwood, which are still valuable to the forest because of
the life they support.
The rangers watch the trees closely to ensure that each tree lives as long as
possible, said Paul Cook, one of the forest's senior rangers. Each oak has
its own management plan and some even have names, like Medusa, Stumpy and
Twister. The rangers check on the ancient oaks regularly, watching for
branches that might be droopy or stressed.
"Every time I come up here I think, 'Has that one gotten slightly lower?'" Cook
said looking at one aging oak. "It is a shock every time one comes down."
Ancient oaks have a lifespan of about 900 years — 300 years of growing, 300
years of living and 300 years of dying. Of the seven trees already lost
this year, four were lost in one night — blown over in February by extremely
strong winds.
Cook said the rangers fear that increasingly harsh weather — possibly due to
climate change — will continue to threaten the trees.
Losing the trees also means more risk to the lives of the creatures — mostly
unique kinds of beetles, moths and bats — that live in the trees.
"It's the hidden side of Sherwood — everyone knows about the amazing trees, but
they're not aware of life it supports," Banton said. "They're not all cute
and fluffy, but they have just as an important role to play.
The oaks and the wildlife there will continue to become more vulnerable so long
as they remain isolated from the rest of the forest, Brady said. The
rescue plan would focus on planting 250,000 new trees to re-grow parts of the
forest and link them back together.
Hopes are high Sherwood Forest will win the 50 million pound grant from BIG
Lottery, a branch of the National Lottery that gives out money to good causes.
Last year, the lottery launched Living Landmarks, a TV program aimed at
encouraging communities across Britain to work together to improve their quality
of life and environment.
Last week, the lottery committee selected Sherwood Forest among four other
conservation projects to be shortlisted for a shot at the 50 million pound
(US$100 million; €70 million) grant. Viewers vote for the winner in
December.
"This lottery project is the biggest one that there's ever been," Brady said.
"It's almost a once in a lifetime opportunity to get the forest back on track."
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