West Sussexsecond mostwooded county in UK

Trees are very varied from small willows to giant redwoods.

The South East of England has more tree cover than any other part of the British Isles. West Sussex is the second most wooded county with 19.9 per cent of woodland cover, some of it ancient woodland, beaten only by Surrey which has 20 per cent.

It is now 20 years since the storm of 1987, from which event a great deal has been learned.

Nineteen people lost their lives and East and West Sussex were most affected.

Global warming is changing the import of disease from insects and fungi, three of which are attacking horse chestnuts, especially the white flowered variety.

The character of West Sussex has to be protected and a project has been set up to enable future planning to take this into account.

The county has been divided into five diverse parts '“ the coastal plain, the downs, the greensand ridge, the low weald and the high weald.

Each part is given land management guidelines to conserve the character of the locations.

The best population of ancient trees in Europe is in Sussex '“ one oak on the Cowdray estate has been estimated as 1,000 years old.

Hedges are an important element of our landscape. These are being surveyed to improve it. There are only 33 black poplars left in Sussex and these trees are important features in flood plains, as they are not propagated by seeding.

Cuttings have been taken from all the trees and these are being grown on at Wakehurst Place, to eventually be planted in the proper places.

Another duty the speaker has is as co-ordinator of local tree wardens. These are people who feel trees matter and they are given the opportunity to be the eyes and ears in an area and are encouraged to co-operate with parish, district and county councils in preserving and protecting trees.