UK gains thousands of new "Nelson's columns"
The Woodland Trust announces 27 new woods for Trafalgar Bicentenary
Thousands of new Nelson’s columns will appear on the UK landscape this year. The Woodland Trust, the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity, today announced plans to plant 27 new woods to mark the 200th anniversary of Trafalgar.
The Trafalgar Woods initiative will see one new wood planted to commemorate each of the 27 ships of the line in Nelson’s fleet and celebrates the important role British timber played in our naval heritage.
The Trust released details today of the location of all 27 woods. From Cornwall to Perth and Kinross, from Carmarthenshire to County Down, all corners of the UK are represented.
Planting of the woods, named after ships such as HMS Victory, Revenge, and Agamemnon, will start in October 2005 and continue until March 2006. At least 15,000 children will help planting a total of 250,000 trees, as part of the Trust’s Tree For All campaign. Symbolic tree planting events will be held on 21 October, the date of the battle’s bicentenary.
The new generation of trees commemorate the tens of thousands used to construct naval vessels; HMS Victory was built from the wood of over 5,000 oaks and the entire fleet of 27 ships contained around 50,000 oaks, representing roughly two million years of tree growth. Although oak was the back bone of the ships, over 20 species were involved, all with a unique place on board: from fir masts to pine booms, hazel gunpowder barrels to ash tillers.
Nelson himself acknowledged the importance of trees to the success of the British Navy and in 1803 he wrote a letter to parliament calling for more trees to be planted to safeguard the British woodland.
The Trafalgar Wood sites are either owned by the Trust or by partners who have lent their support to the programme. Many sites have a geographical connection with the fleet or association with the crew. Victory Wood near Whitstable in Kent will be the flagship and marks the fact that HMS Victory was one of several ships constructed at Chatham Dockyard in Kent. More than 100,000 trees will be planted on 135 hectares (335 acres) of arable land to create the wood, which is part of the Blean, one of the most important areas of ancient woodland in England.
Andy Beer of the Woodland Trust comments: “Trafalgar Woods marks the important link between maritime history and our native woodland. We want to get people thinking about just how pivotal timber was – not only to the navy but in everyday life. Involving children in planting trees is a great way of giving them the chance to make a difference to their landscape whilst learning about trees and their heritage.“
There are other ways in which people can be involved in the project:
- Communities can organise their own Trafalgar tree planting events and register them on a roll of honour;
- From June schools will be able to access a pack of curriculum linked resources available online, bringing alive the links between trees, history and young people.
For more information visit www.treeforall.org.uk/trafalgar
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For more information about the individual woods please download the Trafalgar woods PDF.
To find about trees used to build the battleship Trafalgar download the Trafalgar poster (PDF)
For media enquiries contact:
The Woodland Trust Press Office on 01476 581121, email media@woodland-trust.org.uk
Notes to editors:
The Woodland Trust is the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity. It has 300,000 members and supporters. The Trust has four key aims: i) No further loss of ancient woodland; ii) Restoring and improving the biodiversity of woods; iii) Increasing new native woodland; iv) Increasing people’s understanding and enjoyment of woodland.
Established in 1972, the Woodland Trust now has over 1,000 sites in its care covering approximately 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres). Access to its sites is free. Further news can be found at www.woodland-trust.org.uk
*Tree For All
The Woodland Trust believes its Tree For All campaign will inspire parents and children to get outdoors more and get closer to nature by starting with the simple and enjoyable act of tree planting. Tree For All will see 12 million trees planted throughout the UK over five years, that’s one tree planted for every child under 16. One million children will be involved in planting through schools and community groups, at public events and even in their own garden. Trafalgar Woods is part of the Tree for All campaign.
Sea Britain 2005
The Trafalgar Woods project is part of Sea Britain 2005, a year-long programme of events and activities to celebrate our maritime heritage. For more information visit www.seabritain2005.com
Nelson’s letter to parliament is housed at Monmouth Museum: www.tlysau.org.uk/en/item1/5784
