A new project in Denbighshire is aiming to boost biodiversity in the region by cultivating rare species of native trees. The wild service, or “chequers”, tree, which was once used to make a type of beer and whose fruit was eaten as sweets, is among these. There are currently only 16 recorded wild service trees in Denbighshire, but the council’s tree nursery has now planted dozens of young specimens, with the aim of eventually planting them out to support their preservation.
This is just one part of a broader initiative to enrich native tree and plant populations in the county. The effort began in 2022 when the site of a former council-owned farm in St Asaph was transformed into a nursery. Funded by the Welsh government, the nursery aims to produce over 5,000 native trees and 5,000 native wildflower plants each year with the help of a small army of volunteers.
Liam Blazey, senior biodiversity officer for Denbighshire council, emphasised that the work of mapping and harvesting seed from ancient and veteran trees was “crucial” to the survival of some species. He said that through such efforts, the project aims to “restock some of these lost species and boost populations that are currently there. Hopefully through some of the work we are doing here, we can slow or turn the tide.”
Mr Blazey added that the focus of the project was on broad-leaf trees of local provenance. However, when rarer trees such as wild service, black poplar and juniper are discovered, their seeds are harvested for growing in polytunnels and outdoors at the nursery until they are ready to be planted.
In addition to serving as food sources for animals and insects, these trees provide entire ecosystems and environments within themselves. Mr Blazey stated that “a single tree is an entire ecosystem in itself” and noted that every one of the cultivated trees, once planted out, will live for over 100 years. The project is one of several initiatives started by Denbighshire council following its declaration of a climate and ecological emergency in 2019. Other projects include the creation of wildflower meadows in public spaces such as footpath edges and highway verges
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