It’s National Tree Week, so we wanted to highlight some of the remarkable work that our Conservation Volunteer group has been undertaking to monitor trees at the Botanic Garden.
Trees through the seasons
Since 2019, the Conservation Volunteers have been monitoring selected trees within the Botanic Garden and Waun Las National Nature Reserve, documenting their life cycles through the seasons, including bud burst, flowering and leaf fall. This is all recorded in beautifully illustrated journals that capture much more than just the scientifically measurable parameters of the trees. These wildlife journals capture the essence of the trees, combining art, poetry, photography and writing to encapsulate not only the lives of the trees, but all of the associated species, heritage and folklore surrounding them.
The 17 selected trees are inspected regularly through all four seasons, with each visit adding to the rich life story and understanding of the tree and its place within the surrounding ecosystem.
It’s not just the tree itself that’s observed, but many other species that depend on and are associated with each tree, from all parts of the web of life.
One page of the journal is dedicated to illustrating “some interesting fungi that can be found associated with trees and rotting wood.”
Another page highlights the ladybird species that can be found associated with a Wych Elm tree.
Some pages are dedicated to art and reflections on what we can learn from nature…
Advice from a tree.
Stand tall and proud,
Go out on a limb,
Remember your roots,
Drink plenty of water,
Be content with your natural beauty,
Enjoy the view.
The journals capture the lives of the trees, through heatwaves, storms and even a global pandemic. It will be interesting to look back on the journals in years to come and see how the trees and the surrounding landscape have changed and evolved.
It’s truly inspiring to see scientific observations captured alongside such beautiful artistic illustrations, poetry, anecdotes, photos and other monitoring notes, eternalising not only the lives of the trees, but also the volunteers who dedicate their time to monitoring them.
Take a Look Inside
Get Involved
You can help track the changing seasons by sharing your own observations from your garden or local area via the Woodland Trust’s citizen science project, called ‘Nature’s Calendar.’ It’s important to record the signs of the changing seasons in order to monitor the effects of weather and climate on timings in wildlife – find out more via the Nature’s Calendar website.
If you’d like to learn more about volunteering at the Garden please click here.
The National Botanic Garden of Wales is supported by Welsh Government’s Nature Networks Fund, funding work to deliver infrastructure improvements on Waun Las NNR, allowing us to manage the site for improved biodiversity and engage with visitors on our natural heritage.
