Borthwood Copse, located between Winford and Alverstone, has been chosen as part of a nationwide network of 70 ancient woodlands to be dedicated to The Queen in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee.
The Queen’s Green Canopy has this week announced the network of 70 ancient woodlands and 70 ancient trees across the United Kingdom which will form part of the ‘Ancient Canopy’ to celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years of service.
The initiative was launched by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, who is Patron of The Queen’s Green Canopy, under 1 of the ancient tree dedications – the old Sycamore located at Dumfries House in Scotland.
Borthwood Copse was once part of a much larger Medieval hunting forest. It appears among the lands of William son of Azor in the Domesday Book and is associated with ‘Queen’ Isabella de Fortibus, Governor and self-proclaimed Queen of the Island in the 13th century. Later, Borthwood is mentioned in the diaries of Sir John Oglander, a 17th century English politician who became Deputy General of the Isle of Wight in 1624.
Robin Lang, National Trust Countryside Manager on the Isle of Wight, has said:
“Borthwood is an exceptional woodland and a wonderful place to spend time in. It is much loved by local people as a place to walk, horse ride and cycle.
“It’s a relatively small wood, but parts of it are quite dramatic, with ancient, gnarled oaks and majestic beech. It’s full of wildlife too, never more so than in spring when it’s carpeted in native bluebells. There are beautiful sunny glades, where you might catch a glimpse of a red squirrel, a dragonfly or hear a wood cricket.
“For centuries Borthwood Copse has been a working wood, providing timber for house and boat building. Today the National Trust continues that management by coppicing hazel and the introduced sweet chestnut. The main benefit of this is that it keeps the wood dynamic, letting light and warmth in to allow flowers to grow, insects to flourish and fresh coppice growth to provide breeding birds and small mammals such as dormice and rare bat species with habitats and food sources. The spin-off is that we can supply some of our hedge laying and fencing materials for conservation work on other places on the Isle of Wight, without transporting these products great distances.”
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Established over hundreds of years, the chosen woodlands and trees represent the diverse canopy of the 4 nations, it is a celebration of our living heritage. All the woodlands and trees have a story to tell. Some are famous specimens and others have a local significance.
These Ancient natural spaces hold significance and meaning for so many people in many different ways. They are symbols of community pride, places to connect socially and vital spaces for health and wellbeing activities.
By sharing the stories behind the Ancient woodlands and trees, as well as the incredible efforts that are made to protect them, The Queen’s Green Canopy aims to raise awareness of these treasured habitats and the importance of conserving them for future generations.
