Park designated ancient tree site in milestone year

Walsall Arboretum, which opened in 1874, now spans 170 acres, including a country park

Walsall Arboretum has in its 150th anniversary year been designated an ancient tree site by the Woodland Trust.

The attraction, which welcomes more than a million visitors a year, has about 130 veteran trees - usually in their second or mature stage of life - with 17 of those classed as ancient, meaning they are hundreds of years old.

The public park had been designated the first ancient tree site in the West Midlands conurbation by the charity due to the "exceptional number" of such trees.

For somewhere to achieve the status, the minimum criteria is an area of 100 veteran trees, of which 10 need to be ancient.

'Living legends'

The ancient tree site includes all of the historic arboretum, plus an extension, a country park and a strip of land on the far side of a canal running up to Longwood Lane and Hay Head Wood.

The Woodland Trust said recognising the arboretum helped "to value its significance".

The conservation charity's regional external affairs officer Ben Green stated: "It’s really important that we recognise special natural environments.

"Walsall Arboretum and country park are of great significance. Ancient trees and woodlands are precious and irreplaceable, they are our living legends."

The designation placed the site "in the same company as Chatsworth, Richmond Park and Windsor Great Park", Walsall Council said.

The arboretum will mark its anniversary with celebratory events throughout the year, including a music, food and craft fair on the date the park was opened, 4 May.