The Woodland Trust is delighted to be part of Winter Hay again in 2018 and looking forward to our Tree ID walk later today. For the more adventurous among you join our 4 hour guided woodland walk to Mousecastle Woods owned by the Woodland Trust just outside of Hay. It affords us stunning views but there is a “bit of a hill” to get there.
This year we are excited to also have a stand at the main event giving us the opportunity to talk to lots more people about Woods and Trees.
Tree ID Tips
Do you know your Oak from your Ash? A great starting point is the Woodland Trust’s Tree ID app which is free to download and takes you through logical steps to identify trees from leaf shapes, size, colour and texture of the bark. This is available both for apple and android devises.
We also have a handy pocket size leaf ID swatch which is available from our on-line shop or free to new members – come and talk to us at the show if you would like more information about supporting the Woodland Trust through membership.
However, here are a few things to get you started:
Look at the leaves or needles. Is it a broadleaf (usually deciduous) or is it a conifer (usually with needles or scales)?
Different features will be present through the seasons. You can use twigs, leaf buds and bark on leafless winter broadleaf trees.
Take notice of the surrounding area such as hedgerows, fields, parks, woodland or close to water. Some species are more likely to grow near water, in scrubland, parkland or in woodland.
Use as many features as you can, the more you use the more certain your identification will be. Take into account the overall shape and size of the tree, bark, leaves or needles, flowers, fruits, leaf buds and twigs.
To read more on how to ID trees in winter, or about general tree ID throughout the year visit woodlandtrust.org.