National Trust joins campaign to help save one of Oxfordshire's rarest trees

The Black Poplar is a distinctive part of the Thames landscape, but its numbers have declined dramatically in recent years.

There are now only 7,000 in Britain and less than 50 recorded along Oxfordshire's river corridors.

Habitat loss, hybridisation and declining genetic diversity are all having a negative impact on the species, and as traditional floodplain management has changed, the remaining trees have become increasingly isolated.

With fewer trees growing close enough together to reproduce naturally, the existing population is now ageing.

But the Swindon to Oxford: Regenerating the Thames and Tributaries partnership (Sw~Ox) is hoping to help.

The new partnership-led organisation - made up of the National Trust, Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust, Cotswolds Rivers Trust, Long Mead Foundation, Oxfordshire County Council and Environment Agency - is aiming to raise £20,000 to identify the area’s remaining trees through DNA analysis and propagate genetically diverse cuttings to plant a new generation along the River Thames and its floodplain - including on part of the Buscot and Coleshill estates.

The campaign will work with landowners and local communities to identify suitable sites for Black Poplar cultivation and planting, and will create a connected network of new trees along the Thames, helping restore a species that has been part of the landscape for centuries.

Why Black Poplar trees are so important

Black Poplars are part of the character and ecology of Oxfordshire's river valleys and form part of the natural mosaic of floodplain habitats.

They provide habitat and structure for wildlife, help connect fragmented landscapes and are a living link to the historic character of vital river corridors.

The Black Poplar is also a vital food plant for the caterpillars of many moths, including the hornet, wood leopard, poplar hawk and figure of eight.

Its catkins also provide an early source of pollen in spring, as well as nectar for bees and other insects, and the seeds are eaten by birds.

Reintroducing Black Poplars back into the landscape will also have other benefits. Trees help water seep into the ground, where it is temporarily stored to slow down the flow downstream and help reduce flooding.

The trees themselves can live for up to 200 years, and whilst they're alive, they lock up carbon, produce oxygen and improve air quality.

Jack Knott, Trust Manager at Cotswolds Rivers Trust and Sw~Ox steering group member, said: “The Black Poplar is a tree that belongs in the Thames landscape.

"It is part of our natural heritage, but without action we risk losing it altogether.

“We want to make sure that future generations can still see these remarkable trees. With funds going towards surveying, genetic analysis, propagation and planting out, we can begin rebuilding the population.”

The campaign has already secured funding from West Oxfordshire District Council and the Vale of White Horse Council to kickstart the project, which has also been match-funded by the Oxfordshire Local Nature Recovery Strategy up to £10,000.

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