The 2003 AGM address. Veteran trees and saproxylic invertebrates at Hylands Park
Ash Fraxinus excelsior is again rather scarce as a large standard tree. The old, possibly bundle-
planted pollard has provided the only record of the scarce weevil Cossonus linearis for Essex.
There are two very large, hollow standards - one near the Ice-House Plantation has a girth of 15ft
8ins (4.76m). Both trees would repay investigation for their beetle (and probably bat) inhabitants.
Other large standard Ash trees occur in Writtle Wood and Lightfoot Spring. Some sizeable Ash
coppice stools occur in parts of South Wood.
Some of the Hawthorns Crataegus monogyna in Roman Walk are now sizeable specimens. They
probably originated as bundle-plantings in the late 19th century. These thorns have provided a
record of the scarce Red-belted Clearwing Moth Synanthedon myopaeformis.
Standard Trees - Native and Non-Native - Girthed at 1.3m
Ash Fraxinus excelsior
Nr Ice House Plantation
Nr Writtle Wood
TL 68784 04320 15ft 8ms
TL 68353 04761 llft 6ins
4.78m
3.51m
Maple Acer campestre
Writtle Wood
TL 68274 04717 5ft 5ms
1.64m
Sweet Chestnut Castanea sativa
Rook Plantation
TL 68406 03904 8ft 4ms
2.53m
Alder A In us glutinosa
Formal Gardens
TL 68374 04364 l1ft lins
3.37m
Scots Pine Pinus sylvestris
Formal Gardens
TL 68365 04325 6ft 7ins
2.00m
Yew Taxus baccata
Formal Gardens
TL 68414 04296 9ft 2ins
2.78m
Wellingtonia Sequoiadendron giganteum
Formal Gardens
TL 68343 04428 16ft 4ins
4.98m
Black Walnut Juglans nigra
Formal Gardens
TL 68533 04283 13ft 5ins
3.43.1
Walnut Juglans regia
Bv East Wall
TL 68929 04360 9ft 1 lins
3.01n
Pyrenean Oak Quercus pyrenaica*
Nr Lightfoot Spring
TL 68048 03753 10ft 7ins
3.21m
Wild Crab Malus sylvestris
Nr South Wood TL 67913 04218 6ft 4ins
*probably the largest Pyrenean Oak in England
1.92m
16
Essex Naturalist (New Series) 20 (2003)