News
VETree project ends
15 juli 2015
Sad but true ... the VETree project has officially come to and end. But no worries, the VETree website and Facebook page will stay online. Spread the word!
Training material and e-learning
22 december 2014
We are working hard to upload all the training material, videos and quizzes in all languages. We apologise if some pages do not exist yet in your language or if some links do not work yet. Everything will be functioning soon.
International Seminar
1 december 2014
The international seminar was a big success! Almost 100 participants from 7 different countries were introduced to tree yoga and enjoyed an array of talks on different aspects of veteran tree management.
International seminar
14 oktober 2014
One day to go before our International Seminar 'Securing the future for veteran trees across Europe' in Trolhättan, Sweden. We're looking forward to seeing you there.
International seminar
26 september 2014
The places for our International Seminar are filling up quickly. One more week to book your place!
UK 'Train the trainers' course
26 september 2014
The UK 'Train the trainers' course was very succesfull, with attendants from 6 different countries. Take a look on our Facebook page for pictures.
VETree Train the trainers Course (UK)
28 augustus 2014
One week to go before the VETree Train the Trainers workshop in the UK will start. Follow us on Facebook for pictures and more info.
Valuing and managing veteran trees - an advanced course in Sweden
20 mei 2014
Valuing and managing veteran trees - an advanced course for trainers designed and produced by the VETree project
VETREE MEETING: LINKOPING (SWEDEN)
19-20-21 May 2014
European experts meet in Linkoping and Vardnas Stiftgard (Sweden) to discuss veteran trees management and to test a new three-day course about valuing and managing veteran trees, an advanced course for trainers designed and produced by the VETree project.
The experts who are in charge of the course are Vikki Bengtssonn from Pro Natura (Sweden) and Helen Read from Ancient Tree Forum (England). On the other hand the new trainers come from several countries and regions of Europe (Spain, United Kingdom, Belgium, Romania..)
The aim of this course is that the new trainers should be able to do the following:
1. Give a definition of a veteran tree.
2. Explain the biological principles relating to old trees including:
a. Root systems,
b. Why trees live so long,
c. Natural processes
d. Habitat development
3. Prepare a simple management plan for a veteran tree or group of veteran trees.
4. Assess if a population of trees is sustainable.
5. Prepare a simple management plan for a veteran tree.
6. Demonstrate the ability to deliver a training session.
Vetree is a group of European experts from Belgium, Spain, UK, Romania and Sweden, who developing some courses about the significance of veteran trees and the most appropriate management to prolong their lives and ensure the continuity of the associated habitats.
This group of experts belongs to the five partner organizations involved in the development of the VETree project (Veteran Tree Network). The VETree project is funded through the Leonardo da Vinci Programme for vocational education and training, as part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme. The general objective of this project is to improve the vocational training framework at a European level in veteran tree management.
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/VeteranTreeNetwork?fref=ts
Valuing and managing veteran trees - an advanced course in Spain
4 april 2014
Valuing and managing veteran trees - an advanced course for trainers designed and produced by the VETree project
VETREE MEETING: BERTIZ (NAVARRE)
9-10-11 April 2014
European experts meet in Bertiz (Navarre-Spain) to discuss veteran trees management and to test a new three-day course about valuing and managing veteran trees, an advanced course for trainers designed and produced by the VETree project.
The experts who are in charge of the course are Vikki Bengtssonn from Pro Natura (Göteborg, Sweden) and Helen Read from Ancient Tree Forum (England). On the other hand the new trainers come from several countries and regions of Europe and Spain like England, Belgium, Navarre and Basque Country, Aragon, Catalonia, Madrid, Galicia...
The aim of this course is that the new trainers should be able to do the following:
1. Give a definition of a veteran tree.
2. Explain the biological principles relating to old trees including:
a. Root systems,
b. Why trees live so long,
c. Natural processes
d. Habitat development
3. Prepare a simple management plan for a veteran tree or group of veteran trees.
4. Assess if a population of trees is sustainable.
5. Prepare a simple management plan for a veteran tree.
6. Demonstrate the ability to deliver a training session.
Vetree is a group of European experts from Belgium, Spain, UK, Romania and Sweden, who developing some courses about the significance of veteran trees and the most appropriate management to prolong their lives and ensure the continuity of the associated habitats.
This group of experts belongs to the five partner organizations involved in the development of the VETree project (Veteran Tree Network). The VETree project is funded through the Leonardo da Vinci Programme for vocational education and training, as part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme. The general objective of this project is to improve the vocational training framework at a European level in veteran tree management.
More info:
https://www.facebook.com/VeteranTreeNetwork?fref=ts
AGENDA Programme
April the 9th
10:00 – 10:30 – Introduction and presentation of course leaders and delegates
10:30 – 11:00 – Definition of a veteran tree and the aging process
11.00 – 11.30 – Coffee/tea break
11.30 – 12.35 – The biodiversity, cultural and historical values of veteran trees
12.35 – 13.35 - Introduction to managing veteran trees, roots and natural processes
13.35 – 15.00 – Lunch, including transport out to site
15.00 – 17.00 – Surveying veteran trees for their habitat value (field session)
Optional evening field excursion or exchanging of experiencies with veteran trees.
Day 2
09:00 – 10:00 – Introduction to learning styles and teaching techniques
10.00 – 10.30 – Coffee/tea break
10.30 – 13.00 – Management planning for veteran trees including pruning techniques
13.00 – 13.15 - Topics handed out for teaching sessions on day 3
13.15 – 14.45 – Lunch, including transport out to site
14.45 – 17.00 – Management planning in practice (field session)
Evening preparation of teaching session in groups required
Optional "bat-night". Bats on veteran trees.
Day 3
09:00 – 10:10 – More techniques for teaching groups of adults
10:10 – 10:45 – Basic course content familiarisation
10.45 – 11.00 - Introduction to giving feedback
11.00 – 11.45 – Coffee/tea break and final preparation time for teaching sessions
11.45 – 12.15 – Group 1 presentation and discussion
12.15 – 12.45 – Group 2 presentation and discussion
12.45 - 13.15 – Group 3 presentation and discussion
13.15 – 14.45 - Lunch
14.45 – 15.15 – Group 4 presentation and discussion
15.15 – 15.30 – Protection, grants and legislation
15.30 – 16.00 – Final discussion, question and answer session
European Tree of the Year
5 februari 2014
Vote now for your favourite 'European Tree of the Year' on www.treeoftheyear.org
Veteran Tree workshop in Sibiu (Romania)
16 oktober 2013
We have just run the second pilot of our basic workshop in Sibiu in Romania on 15th October. We hope to get good feedback from the delegates, which together with the feedback we have already recieved from the Belgian delegates, will help us to produce the final version of the course. Then it will just be to translate it all into 5 languages!
Veteran Tree presented in a workshop on Biodiversity & Pollarding
4 oktober 2013
Final workshop of the Project Gipuzkoa LIFE+ Biodiversity and Pollarding. 2013-10-03
Helen Read (Ancient Tree Forum) spoke about the Pollarded trees of London and after her, Oscar Schwendter (Amigos de los Arboles Viejos / Zuhaitz zaharren lagunak) explained the main goals of the Veteran Tree project.
You can get more information about this process through :
Veteran Tree presented in a workshop on Biodiversity & Pollarding
VETree First pilot workshop (Antwerp-Belgium) September 3, 2013
31 augustus 2013
On September 3th the VETree project is delivering the first pilot basic workshop in Belgium. This workshop intends to test the training material for the basic workshop in veteran tree management.
The main objectives of the basic course are the following:
- To give a definition of a tree that is of importance for biological or heritage value.
- To explain why trees can live so long
- To describe how and where roots grow and why they are important
- To undertake a simple survey of a veteran tree in the field
- To assess when management is likely to be appropriate for old trees or their surroundings
- To assess whether the population of trees is sustainable (on a site or a specified geographical area)
The workshop is over a whole day and includes an indoor session and a field visit.
We hope that all participants enjoy the course and can provide us with good feedback so we can improve it!!
Courses in the UK
9 augustus 2013
The National Trust organises courses in veteranisation and the biology of decay in trees. Click on the facebook link above or check our calendar for more information.
VETree meeting in Bertiz (Navarra - Spain)
25 juni 2013
EUROPEAN EXPERTS MEET IN NAVARRA (SPAIN) TO DISCUSS VETERAN TREES MANAGEMENT
A group of European experts from Belgium, Navarra (Spain), UK, Romania and Sweden, met this week in the Palace of Bertiz to discuss the significance of veteran trees and the most appropriate management to prolong their lives and ensure the continuity of the associated habitats. In addition to the meetings, they will also visit several veteran tree sites in Urbasa-Andia, Tierra Estella, Barranca and Bertiz.
This group of experts belongs to the five partner organizations involved in the VETree project (Veteran Tree Network). The VETree project is funded through the Leonardo da Vinci Programme for vocational education and training, as part of the European Commission's Lifelong Learning Programme. The general objective of this project is to improve the vocational training framework at a European level in veteran tree management.
PROJECT
VETree is an acronym for 'Vocational Education and Training on Veteran Trees', a European project set up by 5 partner organisations that started in November 2012 and will end in October 2014.
The general objective of this project is to spread the knowledge about veteran tree management as widely as possible. Innovative management techniques need to find their way to all the stakeholders in veteran tree management who have expressed a need for knowledge and skills: land owners, farmers, foresters, ecologists, advisors, arborists and tree managers (private and public).
The aim of the project is to set up a European wide quality training programme in veteran tree management. The training programme will include both basic and advanced training material, online training tools and mentoring, videos, ...
Project partners in the VETree project are: Pro Natura (SE), Inverde (BE), Ancient Tree Forum (UK), Amigos de los Arboles Viejos (ES), Progresul Silvic (RO).
More info:
www.vetree.eu
www.facebook.com/VeteranTree Network
May 2013. News from the UK
25 juni 2013
Ancient Tree Forum, May 2013
Hi, I'm Helen and I feel very privileged to be the first person directly employed by the Ancient Tree Forum (ATF) in the UK. Although we have been planning to expand the organisation for a few years and have started to apply for grants to employ a Development Officer we heard that the VETree project had been awarded a grant last summer. This meant that we needed to employ our first employee in November to work on the VETree project. For the last 24 years I have worked for the City of London at Burnham Beeches, a wonderful nature reserve with ancient pollarded beech trees. Having the opportunity to think about the ideal management of these old trees within my job enabled me to build up expertise in ancient tree management and I wrote the first guide to their management in 2000. I also enjoy looking at ancient trees in other countries, especially Spain. Now I work for three days a week in Burnham Beeches and two days a week for the ATF for. I have to do a little bit of juggling to fit everything in but so far it is working well.
For the first few months of the VETree project I have been on an interesting learning curve, finding out about all the procedures required when an organisation starts employing staff for the first time, dealing with Euro bank accounts and learning about the EU financial rules and regulations. We had the exciting kick off meeting in Belgium in November where we were able to meet all the key people from the different partner organisations. Now we are starting to think more about the content of the videos and the basic level training course. We have had one day of video filming when we were doing some tree cutting in Burnham Beeches this winter and I am currently talking to the camera man and editor to plan how, where and when we film the rest. I plan to give regular updates here on how my part of the project is progressing.
VETree has just been launched
25 juni 2013
VETree, a European project on the conservation of veteran trees has just been launched
A not-for-profit consortium of European organizations related to the conservation of old trees is promoting the project "VETree: Vocational Education and Training on veteran trees. Project partners are Pro-Natura (Sweden), Inverde (Belgium), Ancient Tree Forum (UK), Societatea Progresul Silvic (Romania) and Amigos de los Arboles Viejos (Spain).
The initiative will train professionals in the management of veteran trees and will be carried out under the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union.
The project focuses on the conservation of veteran trees. Some examples of these can reach remarkable ages and can even be several centuries old. The importance of these trees lies not only in their uniqueness, but also in the fact that old trees provide homes for many organisms associated with them, both flora and fauna, some of which may themselves be rare or threatened. Old trees may also be cultural icons, associated with famous people or events.
The main objective of the project is to develop a high quality teaching methodology which can be used as a standard, applicable across the whole of Europe, to train people in the care of old trees through appropriate techniques. The first step is to collate existing material from all the partner countries; this may include manuals, videos, scientific articles or leaflets aimed at the public. This material will be reviewed and compiled to form the basis of the pilot courses which will be taught in different countries to test the suitability of the material.
After the test phase, training courses for trainers will be designed and conducted, so that these trainers can develop the skills to deliver the courses to owners, managers and technical workers involved with old trees. It is also envisaged that new communication technologies will be used in order to have all the information available on-line. The information and all the teaching material will be free to use.
The project duration is 24 months. The conclusion is scheduled to be a final event on October 15, 2014 in Sweden. The budget for the project is 350.429 Euros, of which 75% is funded by the Leonardo da Vinci Programme, under the Lifelong Learning Programme of the European Union.
You can get more information about this process through :
Vetree on Facebook
In twiter: @VeteranTree
A veteran Juniperus oxycedrus
24 april 2013
This Juniperus is situated in the north of the Iberian peninsula, in Sigues (Aragon), south of the Pyrenees.
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/4135007
