This old oak tree is 381cm around.  That’s not quite in the ancient tree category but it’s a respectable size.

Oak trees support a greater range of  herbivorous insect than any other tree.  The trunk has holes and cavities sometimes used by birds for nesting.  Some years a barn owl has nested there.

Data: circumference at shoulder height for old tree

April 2012         381cm

April 2013         389cm

April 2014         396cm

April 2015         397cm

 

I hope to find the growth rate of  the tree and hence estimate the age.  It is going to take several years measurements before inaccuracies in measurement are ironed out.

 

I’m also measuring a younger tree, planted in 1974 (when it was probably about 3 yrs old).

 

Data: circumference at shoulder height for young tree

April 2013           41cm

April 2014           43cm

April 2015           45cm

As things stand, with an average growth rate in circumference of  7.5cm per year, we get an age of 53years. This seems far too young.

Even averaging the growth rate with that of the smaller, younger, tree we get an age of  83 years, which is not much better.  Is this a sign that growth rates have been increasing as the climate warms?