People urged to open their eyes to county’s rich array of trees

Yorkshire can lay claim to being one of the UK’s richest and most diverse tree counties.

And National Trust sites across the region are home to some of the finest native and exotic examples.

Among the top specimens are four “Yorkshire champion” trees at Beningbrough Hall, near York, 7,000-year-old fossil conifers at Marsden Moor, West Yorkshire, and a magical wishing tree at Nunnington Hall, near York

With June being one of the best times of the year for tree spotting with the leaves still new and vibrantly green, the National Trust hopes people of all ages will make the effort to discover these wonders of nature on their doorstep.

The National Trust’s wildlife and countryside adviser for Yorkshire and the North East, Stephen Morley, said: “Across Yorkshire there are some very important and beautiful trees growing in some fantastic locations.

“One of the most impressive things is the staggering variety in each species; an oak tree isn’t
 just an oak. There are native English oaks, Turkey oaks, sessile oaks, red oaks, holm oaks. I could go on.

“Look carefully and each tree is its own microcosm, supporting other flora and fauna, mammals, birds and insects, and is unique in the same way that humans are.

“June is probably one of the best times of the year to see and gain enjoyment from our trees. We want visitors to discover them for themselves and develop a greater appreciation of
these notable specimens which might otherwise have been overlooked.”

Woodland makes up about 14 per cent of the trust’s total land area across this region.

The National Trust is urging visitors to upload photos and comments on their favourite specimens from places around Yorkshire this June via www.facebook.com/NTYorkshire.