Abstract

An established method for estimating the age of large and veteran trees is reviewed in the context of historic girth measurements of specimen oaks spanning up to 231 years. Such data are used to recalibrate the earlier model and to generate an improved scheme for predicting the probable age of ancient oaks from traditional measurements of their girth. The data upon which the recalibration is based reveals a consistent linear relationship between girth and age that can last more than two centuries. This indicates that mature oaks follow a particular growth trajectory with respect to girth that is tenaciously maintained over time in the face of changes in their circumstances and surroundings. The revised method can form part of a suite of aids available to researchers investigating the age of historical features in the landscape.