As you wander by the river, do you notice that single, towering tree leaning to one side? Pluck a glossy leaf, heart-shaped and tapering to a long point; scrunch it in your hand to release a faint smell of balsam. Look up into the canopy to see the candelabra clusters of twigs and leaves. Run your fingers across the deeply fissured trunk to discover the knobbly bosses characteristic of this species.
Once common on floodplains and wet areas, drainage of the land for agriculture and development has resulted in the slow disappearance of our native black poplar from the landscape. A recent survey estimated that 7000 remain in England, Wales and Ireland, of which only about 600 are females. Both male and female trees are needed for reproduction but many female black poplars were felled because of the perceived ‘mess’ of the white, fluffy seeds, leaving the species struggling to survive. It is now the most endangered native timber tree species in the UK.
In Herefordshire we are lucky to have a small but dedicated group of volunteers working to save it, supported by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and The Herefordshire Tree Wardens. Work includes recording, assessing and caring for existing trees, planting new trees and DNA analysis to identify clones where funds permit. An arboretum has recently been created at Oak Tree Farm nature reserve with examples of every known Herefordshire clone, male and female.
The Trust’s artist-in residence, Richard Bavin, is making portraits of some of the county’s black poplars, from sapling to ancient, to celebrate this magnificent tree. He is collaborating with local poet, Maggie Reed, who writes: ’I knew nothing about the Native Black Poplar and its plight before Richard invited me to join him on his creative venture. I have aways loved trees and learning to identify this beautiful species has been a delight.’
