In our local 'big' toon, Kirkwall, - there is the 'Big Tree' which is a heritage tree in scotland and mentioned in Heritage Tree book. Heritage trees are all over the place - old, wide, tall, rare, "weird and wonderful", and trees with historical and cultural significance. Scotland has loads! And our one in Orkney, now while not a very huge tree - every time I go by I do give the big brute it a wee pat and a 'Hello'. Although to be fair it aint very big, more of a 'peedie' big tree. But, I'm glad its in there nevertheless - size is NOT everything.
And now its all held up like the rest of us with bits of support - there is a bit of a debate about whether it should stay - I think maybe they should take a detailed photo of it and put a life sized sculpture of it when it finally decides its off to the big tree heaven place in the sky. That way we can all enjoy it forever, can't we? Maybe if the tree is ever cut down, the wood from the tree could be seasoned and used by carving into lovely things to raise money for the sculpture - now there's a thought! How lovely to think of it creating its own heritage?
And now its all held up like the rest of us with bits of support - there is a bit of a debate about whether it should stay - I think maybe they should take a detailed photo of it and put a life sized sculpture of it when it finally decides its off to the big tree heaven place in the sky. That way we can all enjoy it forever, can't we? Maybe if the tree is ever cut down, the wood from the tree could be seasoned and used by carving into lovely things to raise money for the sculpture - now there's a thought! How lovely to think of it creating its own heritage?
Here is the link to the 'Heritage Tree Guide' on the Forestry Commission site, although they are in alphabetical order and not geographic that I can see, but that means you get a browse through some quite fun trees on your way through.......have you got any famous trees near you? Having given up gardening - I'm taking up tree exploring.
