How to estimate the age of an oak - WBRC

1 Ancient trees are trees of great age over 300 years for an oak tree Ancient oaks may show some of thesecharacteristics: far fatter than usual with a very wide trunk a squat or dumpy appearance gnarled showing signs of decay hollow inside gnarled roots above ground may look in poor shape to the untrainedeye (but in reality are probably veryhealthy for great age)You will need: a soft ribbon type 6m tape measureor a piece of string or ropeor be prepared to use your armsor some friends to help youHere is howyou do it:Measurethe tree fromthe the tree isvery bulbous, then ata point where the tree reverts to its usual waist your start point by noting the placeyou start or by leaning a branch against thetree as a marker or by asking a companionto mark the place with their ready reckoner on the reverse willwork out the approximate age of an oak for tree species will be different as theygrow at different rates, don t live so long(except for yews) and reach different can be considered ancient at a muchyounger age than to estimate theage of an oakThe Woodland Trust, Autumn Park, Grantham, Lincolnshire, NG31 : 01476 581111 Woodland Trust logo is a registered Charity Number 294344 Oak bud:Pete HolmesOak tree illustration.

2 Reproduced from an original drawing by John White,Forest Research Crown Copyright 03/07 Girth oftree in feetand inches6ft 2ins6ft 7ins8ft 3ins10ft 4ins12ft 4ins14ft 5ins16ft 6ins18ft 7ins20ft 8ins22ft 8ins24ft 9ins26ft 9ins28ft 10ins30ft 11ins32ft 11insGirth of treein metres andcentimetres1m 85cm1m 98cm2m 48cm3m 10cm3m 70cm4m 33cm4m 95cm5m 58cm6m 20cm6m 80cm7m 43cm8m 03cm8m 65cm9m in years75801031381812322913584335156067048 109241046 Historical connections1930, George VAmy Johnson s solo flight to Australia1926, George VYear of the General Strike1903, Edward VIIF irst manned flight by the Wright Brothers1868,VictoriaThomas Edison patented his 1st invention, an electric voice machine1825, George IVStockton to Darlington Railway opens (1st in the world)1815, George IIIB ritish victory over Napoleon at the Battle of Waterloo1715, George IFirst Jacobite rebellion in Scotland1638, Charles ILast year of the English Civil War1573, Elizabeth IThe first maps in England were made by Christopher Saxton1491, Henry VIIThe future King, Henry VIII born at Greenwich1400, Henry IVRebellion in Wales under Owain Glyndwr1302, Edward IDante is exiled from Florence 1196, Richard IAccording to legend, Prince Madog of Gwynedd reachedNorth America 1082,William the ConquerorCompletion of Rochester Cathederal960, EdgarMieczyslaw I becomes first ruler of PolandReady reckoner for estimating the age of an oak treeNB These estimates are based on measurements by John White on oaks growing in open conditions in the south-east of England.

3 Ages will vary for trees growing in different conditions and in other parts of the UK.