The Perth & Kinross Tree Wardens’ Network are partners in the new (2016-2026) Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan and as such will be taking forward a number of actions to achieve some key targets. One of these is the proposed Perth & Kinross Church Yew Tree Project which will help revitalise the original Tayside Green Graveyard Initiative.
The Network has been working with the local community to safeguard the Fortingall Yew; we are fortunate that two stalwart Tree Warden members live locally. Now we are planning to set up a Church Yew Tree Project to take cuttings from the Fortingall Yew, grow them on and then, in a few years’ time share them around the Perth & Kinross (and possibly Angus) churches. This will help safeguard the DNA of the old Yew, share its amazing story and ultimately raise awareness about the importance of safeguarding existing yew trees in churchyards.
We hope to work in partnership with the UK-based Conservation Foundation as they have a long-established ‘We Love Yew’ campaign and the Ancient Yew Group which helps to disseminate information via its website – http://www.ancient-yew.org/s.php/looking-after-ancient-yew/2/5. We also hope to work with Eco-Congregation Scotland and its members.
If you can recommend a churchyard that would be suitable to receive a new yew tree cutting in Perth & Kinross, please let us know here.
This will be a long-term project with little progress on receiving and planting a new yew tree in each of the churchyards for some time, but there will be an urgent need to survey churchyards to confirm the existence of yew trees and focussing on the care and maintenance of these in the first instance. If anyone is interested in taking on this task – for one churchyard or many – please contact us for more information. You don’t need to be a Tree Warden to be part of this project, but we hope you might consider joining us in the future!
Further details – Conservation Foundation We Love Yew Campaign: http://www.conservationfoundation.co.uk/weloveyew/
Ancient Yew Group: http://www.ancient-yew.org
Record the site of a Yew Tree: http://www.ancient-yew.org/gazetteer.php
Ancient Tree Forum: http://www.ancienttreeforum.co.uk/
Tayside Biodiversity Action Plan: http://www.taysidebiodiversity.co.uk