Appendix 3: Simple guide for identifying veteran trees A tree may be classified as a veteran if it has at least three of the following four tree attributes or is of large size. Note that large, old, non-native species can be valuable veterans.
Tree attributes Tree attributes are measures of the accumulation of deadwood, decay and hollowing that are associated with canopy reduction and death as the tree ages. • Deadwood either attached or fallen which must be a minimum of 1 m in length and over 25 cm in circumference. • Rot sites an area of rot equal to or greater than 300 cm². • Rot holes at least one cavity ~10 cm diameter, i.e. about the size of a clenched fist. • Hollowing the trunk or major limbs show signs of hollowing. Additional features that may be present include bark loss; crevices in bark; natural water pools; sap runs; fungal fruiting bodies; epiphytic plants; obvious signs of bat roosts.
Tree size Trees may be considered as veterans if they significantly exceed the normal size for the species in the locality in which they occur. The following diameters (at 1.3 m height) are considered large for the species listed and they indicate minimum diameters for trees that may be regarded as veterans. However, the size classes are only indicative and may be inappropriate for upland areas and other sites with unfavourable growing conditions. • 75 cm • 100 cm • 150 cm
field maple, rowan, yew, birch, cherry, holly and other smaller tree species; oaks (upland), ash, alder, willow; oaks (lowland), sycamore, lime, horse chestnut, sweet chestnut, elm species, poplar species, beech.
Adapted from: Veteran trees in the landscape: a methodology for assessing landscape features with special reference to two ancient landscapes. In: Landscape ecology of trees and forests (IALE); and Veteran trees: a guide to good management (English Nature).
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