Glencoyne Park

Ancient and veteran trees

Glencoyne Park boasts nearly 300 ancient and veteran trees. Many are majestic spreading oak trees, some an estimated x years old. These ancient trees are invaluable habitats for a multitude of other plants and animals. Moss and lichens grow on their bark, bats and birds shelter in the holes in their branches, and a range of invertebrates live under the bark, on the leaves and in the dead wood as it falls and rots.

There are ash, crab apple and hazel trees too. Some, especially hazel, that were once harvested by coppicing or pollarding to provide wood for building material or fuel.

Regenerating the native wood pasture

Together with their tenant farmers at Glencoyne Farm, the National Trust are managing Glencoyne Park to help the regeneration of the native wood pasture. Grazing shorthorn cattle and reducing the number of sheep in some areas increases the chances of tree saplings surviving and also ensures that the understory vegetation grows more densely.

This in turn means more habitats for wildlife. Denser ground cover also means that after heavy rain water is held longer and this helps reduce the rate of flow into the lake and hence reduces the risk of flooding.

treefold:north

Created in Glencoyne Park in 2017, treefold:north encircles a young oak tree. As well as celebrating trees, this sculpture encourages us to reflect on the place of trees in the landscape. Find out more about treefold:north