Learning to survey trees the Opal way

Trialing The Opal Tree Survey Packs

One  fresh beautiful sunny Friday morning in June, a small team of committee friends met to test out the newly arrived Opal Tree Survey Packs.

The Opal National Tree Survey runs until September and anyone can get involved.

Having previously read through the packs, which comprise of tree measuring tools, informative identification maps and a recording booklet, Chris Hughes Friends Environment Officer explained and then guided us through the step by step process.   Each survey takes around 40 minutes.

All agreeing it was safe to begin with an easy target we settled to survey the 200 year line of Oaks  Trees, the historic tythe map (1840) for Kings Norton shows the field in which they once stood was called Plum Fields, suggesting arable use of the land and the trees helped form a boundary line.

It all looked rather technical at first, but in practice, due to wonderful resources provided by Opal we whizzed through 2 surveys and felt assured we could share our experiences to encourage others to have a go.

The activities resulted in us viewing trees from different perspectives, underneath the canopy, close up to the trunk, at it roots and surrounding ground, from a long distance for general image to inspecting individual leaves.

Claire became quite attached to our tree, appreciating the warmth of the bark and Liz respecting its great stature.

Both our specimens we found to be extremely healthy so with continued care and appreciation from our community and City Parks, hopefully these two great fine Oaks, which have lived to through:

• monastic harvests
• tolls collected on our canals 
• the construction of Kings Norton Railway station
• manual to steam power to high technical advancements in industry
• Cotteridge trams to buses along the redditch road
• the milling of flour and corn replaced by an eatery and petrol station
• the birth of our Civic Park in 1924
• bombs dropping on Wychall Lane
• prefab houses erected along the upper section of Westhill Road 
• watched tennis games and bowls in our former courts

and continue to occupy their space majestically sharing their various degrees of beauty through all types of weather

and hopefully will stand to see our childrens' children and their grandchildren experience the benefits of spending time in Kings Norton Park.

Specimen 1

Our results so far have been shared with the Opal Survey

Results for Specimen 1:

Using identification route map = Oak Tree

Girth (around trunk) = 294 cm

Height = 10 m

Fresh healthy leaves, no browning or yellowing, no pests or diseases no holes in roots or trunk

Moss, Lichen and birds found.

Specimen 2

Specimen 2

Results for Specimen 2 :

Using identification route map = Oak Tree

Girth (around trunk) = 284 cm

Height = 11 m

Fresh healthy leaves, no browning or yellowing, no pests or diseases no holes in roots or trunk.  Signs of dead wood but few fallen leaves, less leaf cover.   Moss, Lichen and birds found.

The survey also provides information on how to report the most unwanted disease to the forestry tree alert.

Our surveying resulted in us seeing trees from different angles, underneath, from a distance, inspecting individual aspects ... we got quite attached!

We would like to survey as many trees as possible in or around our park and playing fields.

If you fancy having a go at carrying out a tree survey

We can talk you through the pack or have a go with you.

You can collect a pack or find out more on

• Friday 5 July at 11.30 am at our first Friday in the month workout or 
• talk to us at the Kings Norton Festival Stall on Saturday 13 July on The Green. 

More information on the Opal Survey at www.Opalexplorenature.org.