Finding Sussex’s living legends

Volunteers from across Sussex are taking part in a major citizen science project to find and record every ancient and veteran tree in the Lost Woods of the Low Weald and Downs project area – spanning some 314 sq km. It’s the first time that an ancient tree survey on this scale has ever been attempted. Volunteers are tasked in identifying all trees classed as ‘ancient’ (a tree in the third or final stage of its life) and those classed as ‘veteran’ (a tree in the second stage of its life but with ancient features) on public and private land, including in gardens.

We caught up with one of our brilliant team of volunteers, David Riley from Lindfield. David’s been a prolific tree recorder for the project. In the four months since he began volunteering he’s recorded a staggering 300 notable, veteran and ancient trees. He told us about what he’s enjoying about the project and the incredible support from the communities of Lindfield, Walstead, Scaynes Hill and Wivelsfield:

I’ve lived in Lindfield for just over 20 years. I am 63 years old, retired from a career in book and magazine publishing. Born in Sussex, I returned here after living all around the country. I’ve always loved cycling and walking and I feel privileged to live in this beautiful county.

My interest in the project was sparked by an article in Lindfield Life which called for volunteers. And when my wife read the feature she encouraged me with the words: “You should do this! You’re always talking about the Sussex countryside; you’d love it!”

I do love trees in particular. I thought I knew a reasonable amount about them until I started the project, but it wasn’t long before I realized how little I really knew…but I’m learning with every day that goes by. And I’ve been encouraged by the many people I’ve met whilst recording. They love their trees, they love the Sussex countryside but there’s a widespread concern that it is disappearing fast.

All around us we see building sites. I appreciate that we need to build houses, and that the countryside has always evolved…but there seems no mechanism to protect the trees that we have. It takes an awful lot of saplings to deliver the ecological benefits of a single veteran tree. Unless we look after them, these trees are going to disappear – and the very things we love about our landscape – the hedgerows, copses and woods - will not be there for our children and grandchildren.

The first step in this process is to understand what we have: knowledge is key. I feel we’ve all been complacent…we’ve taken the Sussex countryside for granted. The appeal of the project for me was to appreciate, quantify and map what’s there now.

I’ve recorded around 300 trees so far across 6-8 square kilometres, and hope to double this by the end of the year. I started in Lindfield where there are many oaks, limes and yews, as well as non-native species – many of them reminders of the patchwork of small farms and country houses that peppered the landscape until the end of the 19th century. As I’ve moved into more rural areas I see mainly native species – oaks (of course), field maples, beeches and hornbeams. But whether I’m in an urban garden or a wood, there’s nothing quite like the feeling you get when you stumble across a beautiful, monumental tree. It’s awe-inspiring!

I’ve met many very helpful and supportive residents, farmers and landowners. They often want to know more about their trees – what they are, how old they are – or even how they came to be where they are. Here historic maps of the county are very useful – and often give clues. I’m not an expert – but it gives me a buzz to help where I can. It would be terrific if more members of the public came forward and volunteered their woodland or garden for a survey. I understand that there might be a concern about an invasion of privacy: no-one wants strangers traipsing across their property looking for trees – but there are ways of making the registration private.

It’s sad when you look at old maps for trees, hedges and woodland and discover that they have all disappeared. One example is on the southern edge of Lindfield. There’s a whole range of housing estates there that have been developed. They’ve kept little bits of woodland, little banks and breaks between developments – but for the most part the trees are gone. I love this county for the landscape, the flora and fauna of the area. It’s a beautiful county, but there’s a real danger that it’s going to end up being like everywhere else. If we have to build, we must do so in a way that is sensitive to the environment, and we have to ensure that the custodians of our countryside can reap economic benefits from conservation.

We get excited by historic buildings, but for me it’s just as exciting to discover an ancient tree…a living thing that has survived through centuries and centuries of change. My new favourite tree is the hornbeam. I think in the past the species didn’t register with me at all, or perhaps I mistook them for beeches. I didn’t know the difference. But when you understand what a hornbeam looks like it’s very distinctive: it’s an extremely hard wood and has a sinuous, contorted look about the trunk, like muscles under skin. Its historic use was for windmill gears, cart wheels, tool handles and shoe lasts – anything that required a really tough wood. I love oaks too, and Sussex has thousands of them, so they keep me busy. Sweet chestnuts and beech trees are also favourites, but I haven’t found many of them yet, so if anyone has either of these I’d love to hear from you!

To volunteer for this project you have to have spare time and be physically fit: you walk miles and miles in search of trees. You need to be observant, not just about trees, but about the landscape in general. You also have to have curiosity: so often the question “I wonder what’s down here?” is rewarded by something really special.

It’s important also to engage with people: many of my best finds have come through chance conversations I’ve had with interested and enthusiastic locals. Sometimes it takes a few minutes for people to appreciate what the project is about – but once they do they’re almost always extremely helpful. So a big “thank you” to the people of Lindfield, Haywards Heath and the surrounding villages!

If you spot an ancient or veteran tree in the Lost Woods project area, or you think one might be growing in your garden or on your land, please contact us.

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