Metasequoia Glyptostroboides - Newmillerdam, UK
Posted by: 
dtrebilc
N 53° 37.945 W 001° 29.833
30U E 599368 N 5943675
This recently planted Dawn Redwood is in the Arboretum of Newmillerdam Country Park.
Waymark Code: WM17E7Q
Location: Yorkshire, United Kingdom
Date Posted: 02/05/2023
Views: 2
Newmillerdam Country Park features a central lake surrounded by a surfaced path with surrounding broadleaved and coniferous woodland located on the slopes.
The country park was once part of an estate which was owned by the Pilkington family. In the 1870's the family built nine lodges to house the gamekeepers who protected the site from poachers. Two lodges can still be seen today guarding the Dam.
The estate was sold to Wakefield Council in 1954 and opened to the public.
The Arboretum
Much of the woodland in the park is native to the UK but in the 1980s Wakefield Council planted a collection of trees in the middle of the woodland to form an arboretum which includes both native and non-native trees, some of which are endangered species. However by 2007 the area had become overgrown and the newly formed tree Wardens voluntary group was asked to take on the major project of restoring the arboretum working with the Council’s forestry team. The area was first cleared of sick, dead and damaged trees and then new trees were added with benches, bird and bat boxes and wild flowers, all funded by the community.
Plaque at base of tree.
Dinosaur Tree 1
Dawn Redwood (Metasequoia glyptostroboides)
TYPE: Deciduous
HEIGHT: Up to 36m
USEFUL FOR: Stabilising soil in wet areas
FACT: Scientists thought Dawn Redwood was extinct
until it was discovered during World War II n China.
The volunteers who look after the arboretum have planted three trees that they have named Dinosaur Trees - types of tree that would have been around at the time of the dinosaurs - and this is one of them.
The tree has been planted sometime after 2007 and is still very small.