Trees provide shelter
We need trees to give us oxygen.
They can be a good habitat for many creatures to live in, this could be anything from a woodlouse to a bird of prey.
If we didn’t have trees we wouldn’t have paper or wood or even have buildings .
There are lots of different types of trees.
Trees at Hardwick Dene
Elm
Elm Trees can be found in Hardwick Dene and are important here because the White Letter Hairstreak butterfly feeds on them. English elms were common in Britain , until the onset of Dutch elm disease killed 25 million of them in the 1970s.
It is thought that this tree was introduced to Britain 2000 years ago by the Romans, and some scientific research suggests that all English elms came from just one tree. This meant that many elms were more likely to get disease.
Look for this tree as you walk around Hardwick Dene- here are some ways you can identify it-
- Dark Brown bark
- Leaves are round/ oval and are toothes
- Leaves have a rough hairy surface
- Leaves alternate on each side of the branch
- Elms lose their leaves in the Winter
- Seeds are small and are inside an oval shaped papery wing
Hazel
As Hazel catkins turn yellow it’s a sign that spring is coming, and when squirrel starts to gather hazelnuts winter is just around the corner.
Hazel are not only a source of food for many types of wildlife, but they provide home and shelter for them too.
Here are some ways you can identify Hazel-
- Smooth grey- brown bark
- Leaves are round/ oval
- Leaves are double toothed, hairy and point at the tip
- Leaves turn yellow before falling in Auntumn
- Bendy, hairy stems
Hawthorn
In mediaeval times it was said that the flowers of this tree smelled like the Great Plague. There is a chemical in Hawthorn flowers that is one of the first to be produced in decaying animals! This is probably why this tree has been so closely linked to death and disease.
Hawthorn has-
- Dark brown- grey bark
- Brown twigs covered in thorns
- Flowers are usually white but sometimes pink with 5 petals
- Leaves are about 6cm long