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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Clare Thorp

Is your woodland knowledge evergreen, or could it do with a little tidying up? Take our quiz to find out

A mid adult woman wearing wellington boots, walking in Thrunton Woods, Northumberland. She is stepping onto a tree stump from a fallen log with her arms outstretched to balance herself.
Do you know how many woods the Woodland Trust looks after? Photograph: SolStock/Getty Images
  1. Which tree was voted the UK tree of the year in 2023?

    1. A sweet chestnut in Acton Park, Wrexham.

    2. Crouch oak in Addlestone, Surrey.

    3. A London sweet chestnut in Greenwich Park.

  2. What is shinrin-yoku?

    1. A rare variety of conifer.

    2. A Japanese wellness practice that translates to “forest bathing”.

    3. A species of spider found in UK woodland.

  3. At what age is a tree considered ancient?

    1. 400 years.

    2. 900 years.

    3. It depends on the species.

  4. How much of the UK’s land mass is woodland?

    1. 13%.

    2. 5%.

    3. 26%.

  5. How many trees has the Woodland Trust planted since it was founded in 1972?

    1. 25 million.

    2. 55 million.

    3. 75 million.

  6. What is believed to be the oldest tree in the UK?

    1. Fortingall yew, Perthshire.

    2. Major oak, Nottinghamshire.

    3. Tortworth chestnut, Gloucestershire.

  7. What is photosynthesis?

    1. When you take a selfie in front of a tree.

    2. The process by which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to create energy in the form of sugar, and oxygen as a byproduct.

    3. The scientific study of trees.

  8. How much carbon is stored by living trees in UK woodland?

    1. 213m tonnes.

    2. 52m tonnes.

    3. 405m tonnes.

  9. How many UK woods does the Woodland Trust care for?

    1. 500.

    2. 800.

    3. More than 1,000.

  10. Which of the following have no automatic right of protection?

    1. Important archaeological sites.

    2. Certain species, including badgers, bats and hazel dormice.

    3. Ancient trees.

Solutions

1:A - Wrexham’s sweet chestnut, thought to be almost 500 years old, received 17% of the public vote in the competition, which celebrated urban trees., 2:B - Studies have found that spending time in nature and among trees seems to help decrease stress, rumination, and anxiety., 3:C - To be considered ancient, a tree needs to enter the third and final stage of its lifespan. Birch trees can be classed as ancient at 150 years old, whereas yew trees are not ancient until they are an impressive 800 years old., 4:A - That compares with a European average of 44%. The Woodland Trust is working hard to increase this, as well as to protect the woodland we already have., 5:B - And it’s not stopping there. In fact, Woodland Trust is aiming to get 50m more in the ground by 2030., 6:A - The ancient yew is estimated to be between 2,000 and 3,000 years old, although some believe it could even be 5,000 years old., 7:B - By absorbing and locking away carbon, trees play a vital role in the fight against the climate crisis., 8:A - Trees, along with the entire woodland ecosystem, play a huge role in locking up carbon., 9:C - And they’re all free to visit! From walking and wildlife spotting to scavenger hunts and den building, there’s loads to do and explore. You can search for a woodland near you on the Woodland Trust website., 10:C - The Woodland Trust is campaigning for legal protection for the UK’s oldest and most important trees. Support the Woodland Trust and help protect our living legends.

Scores

  1. 10 and above.

    Wow, what a tree-mendous effort! It’s clear you appreciate the wonders of the UK’s woodland – and there’s no better way to stand up for trees than by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  2. 9 and above.

    Wow, what a tree-mendous effort! It’s clear you appreciate the wonders of the UK’s woodland – and there’s no better way to stand up for trees than by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  3. 8 and above.

    Wow, what a tree-mendous effort! It’s clear you appreciate the wonders of the UK’s woodland – and there’s no better way to stand up for trees than by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  4. 7 and above.

    Wow, what a tree-mendous effort! It’s clear you appreciate the wonders of the UK’s woodland – and there’s no better way to stand up for trees than by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  5. 6 and above.

    Your woodland wisdom isn’t bad at all – but there’s still room to branch out! Take a leaf out of the book of more than 300,000 others by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  6. 5 and above.

    Your woodland wisdom isn’t bad at all – but there’s still room to branch out! Take a leaf out of the book of more than 300,000 others by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  7. 4 and above.

    Your woodland wisdom isn’t bad at all – but there’s still room to branch out! Take a leaf out of the book of more than 300,000 others by becoming a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  8. 3 and above.

    Hmm, it looks like some of these questions had you a little stumped. Not to worry! A great way to grow your knowledge of trees – and play a part in protecting their future – is to join more than 300,000 others and become a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  9. 2 and above.

    Hmm, it looks like some of these questions had you a little stumped. Not to worry! A great way to grow your knowledge of trees – and play a part in protecting their future – is to join more than 300,000 others and become a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  10. 0 and above.

    Hmm, it looks like some of these questions had you a little stumped. Not to worry! A great way to grow your knowledge of trees – and play a part in protecting their future – is to join more than 300,000 others and become a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

  11. 1 and above.

    Hmm, it looks like some of these questions had you a little stumped. Not to worry! A great way to grow your knowledge of trees – and play a part in protecting their future – is to join more than 300,000 others and become a member of the Woodland Trust. From just £4 a month, you can help protect and restore ancient trees, create new woodland and safeguard wildlife.

Find out more about the work of the Woodland Trust and how you can become a member for just £4 a month

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