THANKS to the recent work of Woodland Trust volunteers, Pollok Country Park's trees have turned out to be more significant than first thought and their conservation is a priority.

Pollok Country Park is now in the running for Nationally Significant status.

Many of you will be familiar with the Pollok Beech standing proud on its distinctive mound in the woodland garden, named one of Scotland's 100 Heritage Trees in 2002.

It is thought to be about 250 years old and was planted on the site of the second castle inhabited by the Maxwell family for about 300 years.

Heritage trees like this one have 'significant links to human history and culture', they can be Ancient but not all are.Ancient trees on the other hand are 'among the oldest and most complex organisms on the planet.'

The quote: "An oak tree grows for 300 years. Rests for 300 years and spends the next 300 years gracefully declining," is a perfect description.

Thanks to the recent survey, we now know we have another ancient tree in Pollok, measuring in at 5.53m girth, the Horse Chestnut Tree (No.144216) is the largest in Glasgow and 10th largest in Scotland and was probably planted around 1750 http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/recording/ tree?tree=5a8954d9-0c91-49fa-be56-c64f83c4d30f .

Veteran trees are tomorrow's Ancient Trees, they share common traits which may have developed due to environmental accidents like winds breaking off a branch rather than time.

The survey last month by the Woodland Trust identified no less than 87 Veteran Trees within Pollok Country Park and half the park has still to been surveyed.

These natural wonders have survived the test of time, such as changing farming practises from the iron-age to the present day, extreme weather and climate change.

It's therefore not surprising to discover that many of Pollok's Ancient & Veteran Trees grow within the ancient pastures where Pollok's Highland cattle 'conservation graze' and where public access and vandalism is limited.

These Creaky old mansions, make an ideal home to a great number of other species such as bats, fungi, insects and lichen many of which are protected by law. (Read the interpretation boards on site)

So next time you walk down the main avenue, pause a moment to look at the Veterans in our "coo fields", in many parts of the UK only a few farmland Ancient Trees remain.

Since the majority of Northern Europe's oldest trees are found in the UK this makes us, here in Glasgow, custodians of a landscape of international importance.

If the remaining trees disappear we lose history, culture, wildlife and landscape beauty.

"Gaining nationally significant status will be a momentous occasion for Pollok Country Park. I'm proud to be part of such an important discovery and these results highlight the value of citizen science in nature conservation; after-all anyone can get involved with recording notable trees in their area," said Stephen Porch Woodland Trust & Ranger Service Volunteer.

Visit http://www.ancient-tree-hunt.org.uk/ for more information