Miles Barne, Sotterley Estate Forest Manager turned 80.
To commemorate this occasion Future Trees Trust Chair of Trustees, John Leigh Pemberton presented Miles with two grafted copies of the Sotterley Oak, which was felled in 2013, due to suspected acute oak decline.
The Sotterley Oak was an outstanding timber tree, with gun barrel straight, with superb form.
Miles has contributed a great deal to British forestry, particularly famous for his work with oak.
The estate has many fine examples of superb oak trees. Future Trees Trust have also selected ash, chestnut and sycamore plus trees on the estate. The estate is home to an oak progeny trial, a cherry clonal trial and more recently, a wild service silviculture trial.
Photo caption: FTT chair of Trustees John Leigh Pemberton presenting Miles with a grafted copy of the Sotterley Oak, at the location of the original tree.