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The Fortingall Yew is an ancient European yew (Taxus baccata) in the churchyard of the village of Fortingall in Perthshire, Scotland. Considered one of the oldest trees in Britain, modern estimates place its age at an average of 5,000 years.
Fortingall is a beautiful village containing many thatched cottages. From Fortingall, Glen Lyon is a short drive one of the most stunning glens in Scotland. During the year refreshments can be found at the Glen Lyon Tea Room & Post Office.
The treeSaturday 31st s once massive trunk (52 ft or 16 m in girth when it was first recorded in writing, in 1769) with a former head of unknown original height, is split into several separate stems, giving the impression of several smaller trees, with loss of the heartwood rings that would establish its true age. This is a result of the natural decay of the ancient heartwood, which reduced the centre of the trunk down to ground level by 1770. Other than this, the tree is still in good health, and may last for many more centuries. By 1833 it was noted that “large arms had been removed and even masses of the trunk, carried off, to make drinking-cups and other curiosities.” It is protected by a low wall, erected in 1785 to preserve it, but can still be easily viewed.
Clippings from the tree have been taken to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Edinburgh, to form part of a mile-long hedge. The purpose of this “Yew Conservation Hedge Project” is to maintain the¬†DNA¬†of¬†Taxus baccata¬†from ancient specimens in the UK as, worldwide, the trees are threatened by felling and disease.
In 2019 concern was expressed by the Tree Warden for Fortingall and the coordinator of the Tayside Biodiversity Community Partnership that tourist activity on and around the tree posed a threat to its survival.
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