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The Family Tree Scheme - commemorate a very special person or mark a significant occasion by helping to create NEW woodlands throughout the UK. 

Launched in 1981 by the Tree Council and now run by the International Tree Foundation, the Family Tree Scheme links your family and friends to the creation of Britain's future heritage.  For as little as £30, your gift is marked by the planting of new trees in one of our woodland sites, many of which are in Community Forests.  The sites are open to the public for recreation and enjoyment whilst providing the habitat for more than half of our wild creatures and many of our favourite plants and wild flowers.


When approached by the International Tree Foundation in 2002, the Kennaway family readily agreed to dedicate an area of the estate to the establishment of a Family Wood.  The design was entrusted to Ivan Hicks, the internationally renowned land artist, and the area chosen is relatively small yet perfectly positioned for the purpose.  It is a site that lies within Escot House’s main gardens.  This area was planted with quick growing softwood trees in the 1960s, and their replacement by a bespoke Family Wood is a welcome enhancement to the park.

The brief to Ivan Hicks was to base the design concept primarily on the needs of visiting families, allowing tree and shrub selection and siting to be determined by his vision of the best possible use of the wood by families, and by young children in particular.  The following gives a useful insight into the direction the design is taking at this early stage.

“A wood is more than a collection of trees.   The design uses trees to create form and structure by for example planting 10 fastigiate beech, 10 purple fastigiate beech, 10 fastigiate oaks, and 10 Lombardy poplars in 4 metre diameter circles to create living tree towers or ‘instant’ massive trees.  A sinuous closely spaced avenue (2m x 2m) of European larch will create a hobbit like path – a green haze in the spring and showered by golden needles in the autumn.  Pairs of weeping beech will form gateways and other trees will be trained as arches and tunnels.  A ‘family circle’ of native trees will enclose a storytelling glade.   Other trees will be placed to enhance the theme.

Overall it will be a wood and form a canopy with glades; but it will be more than a wood.  The inner structure formed by the designed planting will strengthen each year as the trees grow and within a few years a magic wood will have developed!”

Dedication book.  The book is located within the Stables Craft Centre at Escot.  Admission to the Family Wood is free on request at the Kiosk for those sponsors whose names are recorded in the Dedication Book.  In addition, in the Coach House Restaurant, visitors will find a picture showing the designer's impression of what the Family Wood will one day become.

Planting dates.   Trees will normally be planted during the winter planting season from November to March.

Public planting events.  These occur annually during the planting season and sponsors are encouraged to attend if they would like to.

Further details.   If you would like to sponsor a tree, or if you would just like further information, please either:

contact the International Tree Foundation:  tel. 01342 712536

or see their web site:  www.internationaltreefoundation.org.

Alternatively, contact Escot:  tel. 0870 7744269;  email info@escot-devon.co.uk

 


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