Latest news with #TreeoftheYear
The Herald Scotland
02-08-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
LEZ and the problem with Glasgow's trees plan
Fair enough I guess, although I have a few questions. Firstly, why only 28 trees? More please. Secondly, why put the trees in planters, which make them more prone to disease and death and restrict their growth? Why not plant them in the ground instead? And thirdly, why not commit all of the money from LEZ into environmental projects? Some £732,000 from the fines has been spent on community projects but the LEZ raised more than £1m in the first 10 months alone which means some of the money, to which I've contributed a bob or two, is going elsewhere. Where exactly? The Glasgow trees also raise one or two bigger questions, I think, about the role trees are, or aren't, playing in urban regeneration and environmental policy more generally. An impression has grown up that we can offset our carbon emissions by planting lots of trees (including putting 28 trees in planters) but as The Herald reported the other day, a new report in Nature Geoscience suggests tree-planting can only remove a small amount of the carbon that humans put into the air. In other words, we are too dirty for our trees to fix. Read more The most notorious building in Glasgow: a way forward Glasgow's rubbish-bin millions: where has the money gone? 'Get it up ye Sturgeon!' The new front in the trans war Glasgow City Council's policy on trees is also a bit confused. As I reported a few weeks ago, some old trees such as the 50-year-old hornbeam on the corner of Argyle Street and Finnieston Street are being cut down to make way for development (usually flats) because the council in Glasgow – unlike councils in other cities such as Bristol – does not prioritise the protection of mature trees in its planning. Old trees are a pain in the butt for developers who want to get their buildings up fast and cheap and the council in Glasgow has generally been letting them get away with it. This is despite the fact that we know how much Glaswegians care about their trees. There was a campaign to save the Finnieston hornbeam, a campaign that was ignored sadly. You may also be familiar with the tree a little bit further bit up the road: the famous Argyle Street ash. It's been nominated this year for The Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year competition and may go forward to the European Tree of the Year where worldwide tree fame surely awaits. But if I may, I'd like to nominate another of Glasgow's wonderful urban trees: the Paisley Road West sycamore, just across from Harvie Street (that's the tree in the picture above). It's one of a number of sycamores dotted along that rowdy and rambunctious road and every one of them is a joy, a reason to stop, the street's green and glorious punctuation. And even though most of the time, like everyone else, I take them for granted, every now and again I see them like they're new and I love them officially because I'm told they reduce the 'Urban Heat Island Effect' (i.e. they cool the city down) but really I love them because they make me feel good. LEZ fines are funding new trees (Image: Newsquest) So yes: the trees in Glasgow matter and it's good the council has adopted a strategy that aims to increase their number over the next ten years and it's good that it has already made a start, planting some 20,000 in Castlemilk, Tollcross and other places, and it's good that they put 28 trees in planters at various points around the city (it would have been better if they'd put them in the ground but heh ho). But also I'm tempted to say that the problem with Glasgow's tree plan is that they are not the trees that really matter. The trees that really matter are the ones that aren't there, by which I mean the woodland that could and should cover large parts of Scotland but doesn't. It's undoubtedly a good idea that we plant more trees in Glasgow and other cities, but what we're not doing properly is the countryside. There are some excellent rewilding projects out there, including the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust's plans for Dalnacardoch in the Cairngorms, of which I'm a supporter when I'm not having to pay LEZ fines. But most of Scotland's countryside was damaged and denuded by industry and Empire and war and is still being damaged and denuded by what they call sport (by which they mean shooting birds, legally and illegally) and by sheep of course. And deer. As far as you can see. I remember the moment I really understood it for the first time. I was up in Alladale, about an hour's drive north of Inverness, visiting Paul Lister, the man who wants to reintroduce wolves in Scotland, and he pointed to the hills and glens and asked me what I thought of it all. I think I used some cheesy words like "beautiful" or "iconic" but the words he used were "messed up" because the hills and glens we think are beautiful have actually been stripped bare. "This should all be big forest," said Mr Lister indicating the landscape in front of us and suddenly, I could see it, and the whole of Scotland really, in a different way. He's right. It should be forest. But it's not. Where are all the trees? And when can we fix it?
Glasgow Times
28-07-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
Meet the man who cares for 'lonely' tree on Glasgow's Argyle Street
David Treanor, an arborist and owner of Treewise Urban Forestry, has been responsible for the "Argyle Street Ash" outside the Franklin Terrace tenements for the last five years. The Paisley native has nominated the 75-foot-tall attraction for the Woodland Trust's Tree of the Year, making the top 10 shortlist. David Treanor, an arborist and owner of Treewise Urban Forestry pictured with the "Argyle Street Ash "tree outside the Franklin Terrace tenements on Argyle Street in the West End of Glasgow. (Image: Colin Mearns) He explained what inspired him to put the tree forward. David said: "Its location and striking form mean it nearly always leads press coverage with a kind of quiet defiance – standing in the heart of Argyle Street like it always has. "I've looked after the tree for over five years in a professional capacity, carrying out safety inspections and remedial work. "Over time, I noticed it was resisting ash dieback far better than most trees I've encountered. "That led me to dig deeper – both scientifically and historically." Also known as The Lone Tree of Finnieston, the tree was described in James Cowan's 1935 book From Glasgow's Treasure Chest as 'quite the most graceful ash I have seen.' It was the first tree in Glasgow to receive a Tree Preservation Order and is regarded as a symbol of resilience locally, producing greenery and shade in an otherwise grey and urban part of the city. Pat Lilly, and his daughter Louise, pictured in front of the tree (Image: Colin Mearns) Nine other trees from across the UK make up the list, including a sycamore growing at Napier University in Edinburgh, with the "Argyle Street Ash" being put forward by David as the wildcard pick. READ MORE: UK Government announce £39million investment in Renfrewshire A picture of a tree from 1962 (Image: Newsquest) The other nine were selected by a panel of experts. David also opened up on the history of the tree. He continued: "We know that the tree is estimated to be 170 years old meaning it has lived through a fifth of Glasgow's 850 year history "It became clear that this tree has survived the Victorian era, survived Glasgow's 'Age of Smoke,' when coal soot darkened the air and buildings while Glasgow was the second city of the Empire. "It survived the Clydeside Blitz and the 1968 storm when many tenements were destroyed. "It has endured from Trams to Tesla's. In 1980 Glasgow District Council took the step to protect the tree under TPO No.1, Glasgow's very first Tree Preservation Order. "It's been part of so many Glaswegians' everyday lives that people often tell me they can't imagine Argyle Street without it." Locals also expressed their delight at the nomination, reflecting on memories of the tree. One man said: "In the 1970s as a student I'd open my curtains to see the tree every morning and later in life it inspired me to plant more trees across the city." Another said: "Me and my mates always admire the tree when having a few pints at the Park Bar." A third commented: "My parents met under that tree." Another local, Pat Lilly, remembers his grandparents renting the flat when he was a child. Pat added: "I always remember the tree being in my Granny's front garden, and I played there from being a toddler with lots of my cousins. "It's unbelievable that the tree has been selected to be in the running for Tree of the Year, 2025." Voting for the competition opened on Friday, July 11, with the winner being decided in September 19, with the winner going on to represent the UK at the European Tree of the Year finals. You can vote by clicking here.
Edinburgh Reporter
26-07-2025
- General
- Edinburgh Reporter
Edinburgh Tree on Shortlist for 2025
A sycamore tree linked to a famous war poet is in the running to be named the UK's Tree of the Year 2025 – and people in Edinburgh can help by voting for it. The 'Wilfred Owen Sycamore' grows in the grounds of Edinburgh Napier University, formerly Craiglockhart War Hospital when the poet was treated there for shell shock in 1917. Owen met and was inspired by fellow poet Siegfried Sassoon at the hospital, and wrote his most famous poems there, before returning to France in 1918, where he was killed in action. When a large branch was removed for safety in 2014, instrument maker Steve Burnett made a violin from the wood to commemorate 100 years since the start of World War I and honour Owen's memory. The violin has Owen's pre-war poem 'Written in a Wood, September 1910' inscribed inside it. The sycamore is one of ten inspiring 'cultural trees' shortlisted for the Woodland Trust's annual Tree of the Year competition, supported by players of People's Postcode Lottery. The shortlist was announced by Dame Judi Dench, Woodland Trust Patron, who said: 'Our oldest trees hold more stories than Shakespeare — some were putting down roots long before he began writing, more than 400 years ago. 'They are as much part of our heritage as any literature.' The shortlist features trees of differing ages and species, with nine selected by a panel of experts and a wildcard from the public. The winner, to be announced in September, will represent the UK in the European Tree of the Year finals. Nominees were chosen along the theme 'Rooted in Culture', highlighting how trees are ingrained in the UK's cultural landscape. The Wilfred Owen Sycamore is one of two Scottish trees listed, along with the 'Argyle Street Ash', which is this year's public wildcard nomination. The 75-ft tall ash in the front garden of 1223 Argyle Street – on Franklin Terrace – was the first tree in Glasgow to receive a Tree Preservation Order and has become a symbol of resilience in the city. It has survived Victorian industry, the Clydeside Blitz and recent redevelopments while also avoiding killer diseases such as ash dieback. Other trees on the shortlist include 'The Beatles' cedar tree' in West London, which featured on the Fab Four's Nowhere Man EP cover, and a solitary beech on Salisbury Plain known as 'the Lollipop Tree', which featured in the final scenes of the war film '1917' . Laura Chow, Head of Charities at People's Postcode Lottery said: 'We're delighted our players are supporting this year's Tree of the Year competition. 'These trees have witnessed key moments in history, provided solace to war poets, been a supporting artist in a blockbuster film, and inspire reflection and creative photography as the seasons change. 'We're looking forward to seeing which one the public votes as the winning tree.' Voting is open until 19 September here. In 2017 instrument maker Steve Burnett created the Wilfred Owen violin from the branch of a sycamore tree standing in the grounds of the Craiglockhart building, now part of Edinburgh Napier University, to mark the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of the Great War in 2014. Owen and Sassoon would have walked in the grounds of the hospital a century ago and known many of the trees still to be found there and this was the second violin to be created in memory of the war poets from the same branch. Photo George Anderson WTML Like this: Like Related
The Age
15-07-2025
- The Age
‘Moronic' vandals jailed for cutting down iconic Sycamore Gap tree
'Today felt profoundly sad. There are no winners,' Dodd said. 'The Sycamore Gap tree wasn't just wood and leaves. It was a marker of memory, history, belonging.' The tree, in a saddle between two hills, had been known to locals but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English 'Tree of the Year' in 2016. At trial, the two men testified they were at their homes on the night in question and had nothing to do with destroying the tree. But faced with spending up to 10 years behind bars, they changed their tune when interviewed by a probation officer in advance of sentencing, though they sought to minimise their culpability, the judge said. Carruthers said he drank a bottle of whisky after a rough day and everything was a blur, Lambert said. While Graham admitted he had joined Carruthers on the journey, he said he was shocked that his former friend had actually cut the tree down. 'Although there may be grains of truth in what you have each said, I do not accept that your explanations to the probation officers are wholly honest or the whole story,' Lambert said. The tree's felling in Northumberland National Park on September 28, 2023, caused fury and condemnation as news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. Messages of heartbreak poured in from around the world, said Andrew Poad, general manager of the heritage and nature conservation charity National Trust. 'This iconic tree can never be replaced,' Poad said in a statement read by a prosecutor. Loading 'It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol for many; a destination to visit whilst walking Hadrian's Wall, a place to make memories, take photos in all seasons; but it was also a place of sanctuary.' Prosecutors said the tree's value was estimated at £460,000 ($945,000), while Graham's lawyer said it was valued at about £150,000. Graham, who had a small construction business, and Carruthers, a mechanic who sometimes worked with him, had once been close friends. But the men who showed up together for their initial court appearance with their faces masked had a falling-out as the case progressed. Graham said Carruthers was guilty and asserted that his friend had tried to frame him. Carruthers' lawyer said Graham's story was implausible and accused him of trying to deflect blame. Jurors quickly convicted both in May based on a trove of digital evidence. Graham's Range Rover was tracked to a location near the tree around the time it fell. Grainy video of the felling was found on his phone – with metadata showing that it was shot at the tree's location. As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son. 'I've got a better video than that,' Carruthers replied. The black-and-white video showed a single figure next to the tree's silhouette as a chainsaw sparked to life. The person leaned into the trunk and in less than three minutes the tree that had stood for about 150 years teetered and fell. Prosecutors couldn't say at trial who cut down the tree and who memorialised the senseless act, but said both were equally culpable. Lambert agreed that both shared equal responsibility. But she said the men's recent admissions made it clear that Carruthers wielded the saw while Graham shot the video. Graham sent the video to Carruthers. 'Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity,' defence lawyer Andrew Gurney said. 'He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. There's no better explanation than that.'
Sydney Morning Herald
15-07-2025
- Sydney Morning Herald
‘Moronic' vandals jailed for cutting down iconic Sycamore Gap tree
'Today felt profoundly sad. There are no winners,' Dodd said. 'The Sycamore Gap tree wasn't just wood and leaves. It was a marker of memory, history, belonging.' The tree, in a saddle between two hills, had been known to locals but became famous after a cameo in Kevin Costner's 1991 film Robin Hood: Prince Of Thieves. It drew tourists, lovers, landscape photographers and those who spread the ashes of loved ones. It was voted English 'Tree of the Year' in 2016. At trial, the two men testified they were at their homes on the night in question and had nothing to do with destroying the tree. But faced with spending up to 10 years behind bars, they changed their tune when interviewed by a probation officer in advance of sentencing, though they sought to minimise their culpability, the judge said. Carruthers said he drank a bottle of whisky after a rough day and everything was a blur, Lambert said. While Graham admitted he had joined Carruthers on the journey, he said he was shocked that his former friend had actually cut the tree down. 'Although there may be grains of truth in what you have each said, I do not accept that your explanations to the probation officers are wholly honest or the whole story,' Lambert said. The tree's felling in Northumberland National Park on September 28, 2023, caused fury and condemnation as news quickly spread beyond the ancient wall built by Emperor Hadrian in A.D. 122 to protect the northwest frontier of the Roman Empire. Messages of heartbreak poured in from around the world, said Andrew Poad, general manager of the heritage and nature conservation charity National Trust. 'This iconic tree can never be replaced,' Poad said in a statement read by a prosecutor. Loading 'It belonged to the people. It was a totemic symbol for many; a destination to visit whilst walking Hadrian's Wall, a place to make memories, take photos in all seasons; but it was also a place of sanctuary.' Prosecutors said the tree's value was estimated at £460,000 ($945,000), while Graham's lawyer said it was valued at about £150,000. Graham, who had a small construction business, and Carruthers, a mechanic who sometimes worked with him, had once been close friends. But the men who showed up together for their initial court appearance with their faces masked had a falling-out as the case progressed. Graham said Carruthers was guilty and asserted that his friend had tried to frame him. Carruthers' lawyer said Graham's story was implausible and accused him of trying to deflect blame. Jurors quickly convicted both in May based on a trove of digital evidence. Graham's Range Rover was tracked to a location near the tree around the time it fell. Grainy video of the felling was found on his phone – with metadata showing that it was shot at the tree's location. As digital data showed Graham's vehicle on its way back to where the two lived about 40 minutes away, Carruthers got a text from his girlfriend with footage of their 12-day-old son. 'I've got a better video than that,' Carruthers replied. The black-and-white video showed a single figure next to the tree's silhouette as a chainsaw sparked to life. The person leaned into the trunk and in less than three minutes the tree that had stood for about 150 years teetered and fell. Prosecutors couldn't say at trial who cut down the tree and who memorialised the senseless act, but said both were equally culpable. Lambert agreed that both shared equal responsibility. But she said the men's recent admissions made it clear that Carruthers wielded the saw while Graham shot the video. Graham sent the video to Carruthers. 'Unfortunately, it is no more than drunken stupidity,' defence lawyer Andrew Gurney said. 'He felled that tree and it is something he will regret for the rest of his life. There's no better explanation than that.'
