About the National Arboreta
Bedgebury Pinetum and Westonbirt Arboretum are two of the outstanding tree collections in the world today. Jointly, the collections display to the public over 4000 taxa. These are represented by some 25,000 numbered specimens. Of the 4000 taxa the National Arboreta list over 200 red data book and 150 champion trees. These plantings form a living herbarium where any person interested in woody plants from around the world, can come to study them. Bedgebury Bedgebury was started as a joint project between Kew Gardens and the Forestry Commission in 1925. This partnership lasted for many years but the Pinetum is now managed solely by the Forestry Commission. Bedgebury today covers some 192 acres and is the most comprehensive collection of conifers on one site in the world. Bedgebury is listed as a Category Two landscape by English Heritage. Our current development plans include the addition of a further 242 acres. We aspire to grow every conifer that can survive in the environment at Bedgebury, a total of 608 species. As well as the usual plantings of red data book species within the collection we have identified an area of ground for more extensive plantings. This will involve the planting of hundreds of specimens of a few species. This is a joint project between The Conifer Conservation Programme staff and us. Westonbirt Westonbirt was started around 1829 and many of the specimens now present date back to that time. The site covers an area of 600acres and includes areas of Ancient Semi Natural Woodland, specimen plants and open grassland. This woodland is an important area in itself as it represents one of the largest areas of woodland of its type in the locality. It is primarily Oak Standards with an understorey of Hazel coppice with some areas of high forest. Some of the work in these areas involves the restoration of this woodland type, which was clearfelled some 60 years ago. Today Westonbirt is a Grade One listed landscape. The Holford family, who started the collection, planted in a picturesque style following the guidelines laid down by W.S.Gilpin. It is the landscape that the Holfords created that give us the grade one listing. The new maple plantings will, in time, create the world’s best collection of Maples and is in keeping with this tradition. One of our many roles is to enthuse people about the importance of trees to our lives and this is one of the main aims of our learning programmes and events. These also help explain the importance of conservation and ensure visitors understand the threats and pressures that a lot of the world’s trees are under. This is also delivered through interpretation.
|