The Tree Register facts for kids
The Tree Register of the British Isles, often called T.R.O.B.I. or just The Tree Register, is a special group that helps keep track of important trees. It is a charity run by people who volunteer their time. They collect and update information about amazing trees all over Britain and Ireland.
This group has a huge computer database. In 2022, it held details for about 250,000 trees! The Tree Register started in 1988. It was created by two people: Vicky Hallett (who later became Vicky Schilling) and Alan Mitchell. Alan Mitchell was a famous dendrologist, which means he was an expert on trees.
Contents
What is the Tree Register?
The Tree Register's database holds lots of information. It includes old records written by hand by the founders. It also has historical details from books and other sources that are more than 200 years old. This means they have a long history of tree measurements.
Tracking Tree Growth Over Time
The Tree Register helps us understand how trees grow. They compare new measurements of a tree's height and width (called girth) with old ones. These older records were made by famous tree experts like Loudon in the 1830s. Others include Elwes and Henry from the early 1900s, and Maynard Greville in the 1950s. This comparison shows how much trees have grown over many years.
The Tree Register also helped start the Ancient Tree Hunt campaign. This project helps find and record very old trees.
Supporting Tree Recorders
After Vicky Schilling passed away, The Tree Register created an award in her name. It is called the Vicky Schilling Bursary Award. This award helps volunteers who spend their time measuring and recording trees. It supports their important work.
Growing the Database
The Tree Register's database keeps getting bigger. From 2015 to 2023, the Registrar added over 10,000 new sets of measurements almost every year. This constant updating makes sure it stays the largest database of its kind in the world.
In 2024, The Tree Register published its first-ever Yearbook. This book covered the years 2023-24. The famous musician Sir Paul McCartney helped pay for the Yearbook.
See also
- The Tree Council
- Champion Trees
