We’re experimenting with willow rods to replicate the diverse structure and habitat of ancient veteran trees.

While many habitat designs rely on dead wood, they often cater to limited species. Our approach aims to replicate the broad species diversity supported by living veteran trees

We’ve crafted willow structures with woven rods to create a tubular hollow, mimicking large decayed stems. These tubes are filled with logs, detritus and other organic matter. We have also installed an experimental bat box to provide a common habitat for most bat species in basal cavities.

The branches sticking out of the structure provide opportunities for lichens and other specialised fungi to colonise and grow. Areal deadwood like this is key for some of our rare longhorn beetles.

the overall design aims to replicate the diverse habitat  ancient trees in areas where it’s scarce. Such habitats can take centuries to develop naturally. In theory, this design could support a range of species including amphibians, mammals ( such as dormice), nesting birds, saproxylic invertebrates, fungi, lichen and pollinating insects.