Westonbirt Arboretum

Six thousand years ago the small-leaved lime tree (Tilia cordata) was the dominant native tree, but now it is confined to ancient woodland sites. The one at Westonbirt Arboretum is thought to be around 2,000 years old. Over the centuries, with coppicing the stool of the tree spreads outwards to form a thicket in the round, until it reaches the size of the one here. Its multitude of stems all form part of one enormous plant. Its exact age is impossible to calculate as once coppiced the rate of growth substantially increases, so it could be as young as 1,000 years or older than 2,000.
The lime has close association with man and thrives on its coppicing, which takes place on a twenty year cycle. On the 15/16th November, the Westonbirt lime was cut back to the ground as part of this carefully managed process. The lime poles, which can be seen here, will be used to create an in situ sculpture once an artist has been commissioned. Submissions will be made to the Forestry Commission up until 11 January 2013, and it is hoped that work will begin shortly afterwards.

L.
30.11.2012

Blip #860
Consecutive Blip #073
Day #981

Alternatives:
Coppiced Lime Thicket
Stool Rings
Puddle (taken with Olympus Tough)
Man At Work

Lens: Pentax 17-70 mm, Sigma 70-300 mm

A Trip To Westonbirt, 30 November 2012 (Flickr set)

Westonbirt series

Lozarhythm Of The Day:
Sean Rowe - The Lonely Maze (2012)
Oh I'll never get to the moon
But I've seen the universe in a blade of grass
Oh I've built my questions a raft
And I send them floating there on a lake of glass
And though this weight is like a stone
It is hard to drop the things I've come to know

Oh my mind is lost to the ground
Like the crickets are lost against the highway sound
Oh how I've been a thief with my voice
While all the leaves just sing the truth out loud
Take this mask and burn my page
And I will leave my wallet in that lonely maze

One year ago: Test Shots (Wilts & Berks at Calne)