TREES IN LAKE MEADOWS 

Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus)            Map Ref. 9

 Native to the South East of Britain the Hornbeam is a common tree in woodlands and hedges. The tree has a deeply fluted trunk but the bark is smooth. The dark green leaves are oval and prominently veined turning to yellow and orange in the autumn. The tree bears catkins in the spring through till the autumn when clusters of winged nuts appear. It can grow to 24m in height and provides a very hard and strong wood. Historically it was used in the production of spokes for carts and cogwheels such as used on watermills and windmills. Its use for butchers’ chopping blocks helps to demonstrate its durability. In the past it has often been coppiced or pollarded to encourage fresh growth and new shoots were cut for faggots to make charcoal, or as beam sticks. A typical hornbeam coppice can be seen in Norsey Wood. There are two trees marked on the map, the one behind the tennis courts grow such that it is very easy to see the clusters of winged nuts which are only 2ft from the ground. The one by the football pitch has a distinctive fluted trunk and has a fungus (Ganoderma) growing through the bark.

Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris)             Map Ref 10

Wild in the Central and West Highlands of Scotland where it established itself as the glaciers ot eh Ice Age retreated. Unfortunately only a few examples of the native pine forests exist today the majority have been used to produce high quality timber. It can grow to 30m and because of its strength and the ease with which it can be worked it was used for ship’s masts. Today it is still used for furniture, boxes and telegraph poles. Although young trees display the typical conical shape, as they mature the lower branches are lost and the higher ones become more spread with a rounder crown. They have become popular in parks because of the attractive red upper stems and branches which contrast with dark green foliage. Note the lower trunk is purple-grey.