Sherwood Forest Now Nature Reserve

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Sherwood Forest Nature Reserve

Sherwood Forest Now Nature Reserve By Associated Press

November 12, 2002, 6:21 PM EST

LONDON -- The forest where Robin Hood took refuge while stealing from the rich and giving to the poor has been designated a national nature reserve, officials said Tuesday.

The 494-acre Sherwood Forest has 500-year-old oak trees, and thousands of species of insects, animals and plants. It was the 214th area in England to get the designation from the government conservation group English Nature.

"Sherwood Forest is a magical place for both people and wildlife and is one of the most important places in Europe for ancient trees and woodland wildlife," English Nature chairman Sir Martin Doughty said.

An array or wildlife lives in the hollow trunks and decaying bark of the forest's ancient oaks. One of the trees, nicknamed the Major Oak, is believed to be 900 years old and is propped up with wooden posts to keep it from falling down.

English Nature says more than 1,000 species of beetle and spider have been found in the forest, including net-winged beetles and darkling beetles. More than 200 species of fungi have been seen on the trees and on the woodland floor.

Birds including the great-spotted woodpecker, the tawny owl and the redstart, along with a number of bat species such as the noctule, also depend on the trees.

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On the Net:

English Nature, http://www.english-nature.org.uk

-- Anonymous, November 12, 2002

Answers

Great piece, thanks! Yep, it IS magic, and every kid I knew as a child in the village and nearby had made a pilgrimage to the Major Oak! It's supposed to be the tree where Robin Hood and his men would hide out when the Sheriff of Nottingham was around.

Visitors are always fascinated by this remarkable tree. How old is it? Experts estimate 800 years, but point out that the dating of ancient oaks like these is problematical. Are we dealing, for example, with a single tree, or three or four which have fused together over the centuries?

Whatever its real age, the statistics are staggering:

Estimated weight: 23 tons

Girth: 33 feet (10 metres)

Spread of branches: 92 feet (28 metres)

These days props support its weighty branches, and a fence prevents visitors' feet from compacting soil over the tree's roots. Rangers and specialist tree surgeons check its health regularly. Like humans, trees have a natural lifespan, and the Major Oak is unusually long-lived. With continuing care, however, this forest giant should continue to amaze tourists for many years yet.

(From another piece)

The Major Oak, Sherwood Forest According to 18th century accounts, Robin Hood and his outlaws often gathered at what is now called the 'Major Oak' to plan their ambushes and later celebrate a good day's thieving. It's hollow trunk made a superb hiding place and the outlaws would jump inside whenever the Sheriff of Nottingham's men rode by. This excellent example of a great forest oak tree is certainly several hundred years old, but may have only been an acorn in Robin's day. It is now well protected behind a fence and wearily rests on wooden crutches, attracting thousands of visitors every year. It is reached along a short path form the Sherwood Forest Visitors' Centre.

The tree is named after Major Hayman Rooke who lived at Woodhouse Place in Mansfield Woodhouse during the 1780s. He was an expert on the archaeology and natural history of Sherwood Forest and published two booklets on the forest trees. The Major Oak was always his favourite. The tree has also been known as the 'Queen Oak' for it is the monarch of the forest. In the 19th century, it was commonly called the 'Cockpen Tree' as game birds were kept in wicker baskets in its open interior and made to fight in a cockpit below its branches.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2002


the problem with news like this is it brings out some crazy who will try and kill it.

-- Anonymous, November 13, 2002

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