Native Trees

Scores of different tree species may be found in British woodlands today, but amongst them only 35, including both the sessile and pedunculate oaks, are true native species; i.e species that spread into this country without the assistance of man. This was possible at the end of the last Ice Age, about 10,000 years ago as at that time Britain still formed part of the European land mass.

To begin with only the hardiest of plants such as mosses and bilberry bushes could survive, but as the climate gradually warmed trees such as hazel, Scots pine, birch, elm established themselves, followed later by the oaks.

Britain separated from the rest of Europe some 7,000 years ago when melting glaciers caused the sea level to rise, flooding what is now the North Sea and English Channel. This barrier of water prevented further natural invasion by non-waterborne plants such as trees, so the species that had established themselves in Britain by that time are our 35 native species.