We discovered recently that a beautiful avenue of old beech trees quite near where we live are due to be thinned out. The trees are known as "The Dark Hedges". A trust has been set up to help with the work and plant new ones to eventually replace the old ones as they grow too old and eventually have to be removed.
Here's a photo of them I took today before the thinning takes place.
The Trust has distributed a leaflet about their aims. Here are some extracts from it....
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This avenue of mature beech trees was planted in 1750. Don’t you think it is worth preserving?
The "Dark Hedges Preservation Trust" has been set up by local landowners, a local councillor, a tree specialist and other interested members of the public. A Bank Account has been opened in the Northern Bank Ballymoney.
AIM: To preserve the avenue of trees known as The Dark Hedges situated on the Bregagh Road near Stranocum.
Road Services have informed the local landowners that 26 of the trees must be removed as they are a danger to passing traffic. The 3 local farmers have agreed to foot the bill for this work to be carried out and have contacted a local tree specialist to carry out the work.
However we feel very strongly we would be doing this local community a great dis-service if this was not followed up by a re-planting programme to replace not only the trees that must come down but also others that have fallen over the last 200 years. This will be a major undertaking but we feel it is in the best interest of this community where The Dark Hedges is not only a tourist attraction but also a venue for wedding photographs and others and indeed has been called a Photographer's Paradise. The Dark Hedges features in many Tourist Board Booklets and is in this year's Belfast Telegraph Calendar amongst others. The Dark Hedges provides a wonderful habitat for birds and other wildlife.
To this end we appeal to local businesses and individuals for assistance with funding. It is estimated it will take up to £32 000 to carry out the re-planting of some 210 half -standard 5-7 year old Beech trees and our tree specialist has agreed to maintain the trees, free of charge, for five years following this work. He intends to make other features from the remaining stumps- such as carved seats etc and we hope local school children will get involved in the project.
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If you feel you would like to donate to this cause then please contact me and I will send you details about how to go about contributing. I hasten to add I am nothing to do with the Trust but would like to help by furthering their advertising.
