The approach to Burton Green along Hodgetts Lane

Trees in Burton Green make an important contribution to the character of the area. The pleasing approach to Burton Green along Hodgetts Lane, Hob Lane and Red Lane owes a lot to the oak trees along those roads and in the adjacent fields. In addition to their scenic value, there are scientific arguments about the value of trees, for recycling carbon dioxide and providing habitat. Not least is their economic value, the lightly wooded Ardenesque location, backing onto farmland or woodland, is among the most sought after and highest value property locations. Trees in farmland can however impose an economic cost to the farmer. They reduce light, water and land area. The community recognises the amenity value of trees in farmland, and is grateful for the care for the environment shown by local farmers.

This page contains an illustrated list of most of the significant trees around Burton Green. The majority of large roadside trees here are oaks, with just a few ash, and a couple of willows. Ash, willow, poplar and conifers can be nuisance trees. Generally none of those species are listed here. In the list below, trees are described as "large" (100 years plus), "medium" (50 years plus), or "small" (less than 50 years).

Estimating the age of trees Oaks increase in size at a uniform rate. Measuring the girth (cicumference) gives a handy guide to a tree's age. The girth needs to be measured between 4'6" and 5' from the ground, avoiding any stumps. As a simple rule of thumb, a 100 year-old tree has a girth of 6'. Hence, 3' girth=50 years, etc. (See Estimating Tree Age and Mawsey Oak).

Cromwell Lane

Left (West) side of road (even nos)		Right (East) side of road (odd nos)
	Far South end of Cromwell Lane, West side, by Red Lane corner, 3 large oaks The wood behind the houses is Little Poors Wood, described separately near the bottom of this page.
	319, medium oak
	315, 2 medium oaks
	313, medium oak, mutilated specimen
	291 (opposite Hodgetts Lane corner), medium oak
	314, medium oak
	255, either 3 small oaks very close together or 1 medium oak with 3 stems
	352, large oak; girth of this tree is 9'4"=150 years; also 1 medium ash
	251, small oak, medium oak, 253, medium oak
	245, medium oak
	243, medium oak
	330 and 334, 2 large ash; these trees have power lines beheath them and seem to require frequent lopping
	231, medium oak; pruned, with power lines threaded through the branches
	308, 310, 312, 3 large oaks; these houses are about 20 (?) years old, and this was originally a field hedge
	262, large oak
	256, large oak
	171, medium oak, medium ash
	248, 250 (South side of the Tom), 2 large oaks; new houses built here 10 (?) years ago
	behind the Tom, several oaks; in Solihull District
	161 (opposite the Tom), large oak
	151 (next to Sports Ground entrance), large oak. This tree is subject to a Tree Preservation Order	Protected Tree
	137, 2 small oaks
	125 (first/last house within the county boundary), medium oak
	113, 115, 117, 3 large oaks; these trees are outside the county boundary (Coventry side), but are listed here for the record
Hob Lane
West side		East side
	hedge between 2 fields near top of Red Lane, 3 large oaks
	North end, East side (nursery), medium oak
	the school, large oak, this venerable tree has a very large girth; would anyone at the school care to measure it; probably the oldest tree in Burton Green
	just below the school, 2 large oaks
	below the school, next field down, 3 large oaks
	below the school, West side, in a field, large oak
	below the school, East side, 2 large oaks
Hodgetts Lane
	boundary between nos 4 and 6, medium oak, heavily pruned
	20, medium oak
Protected Trees	Field next to Hall There is 1 medium oak and 1 large oak in the roadside hedge, shown here. These 2 trees are subject to WDC Tree Preservation Orders
	the next strip of land is the path through to the Greenway, which contains mainly small ash. There are 2 medium oaks, and one medium ash, on the left hand side of the path, near the boundary, which are protected.
	30 Hodgetts Lane, East side and rear hedges, 4 large oaks and an ash; this view is from a field on the East side; 1 oak outside this view to the left, and 1 outside the view to the right
	34 Hodgetts Lane, rear hedge, 1 large oak (this tree is visible in the picture just below, which shows 3 large oaks at the rear of 34 and 36, viewed from Hodgetts Lane)
	36, rear hedge, 2 large oaks Not sure if these are owned by the occupant of 36 (where the sheds are), or by the farmer of the field this side the hedge.
	48, rear hedge, large oak. Not sure if this is owned by the occupant of 48, or by the farmer of the adjacent field.
	several oaks along Electricity sub-station boundary hedge The speed limit sign, and the village name sign (just visible at the right) mark the Solihull boundary. Land beyond this point is in Solihull.
	a large open field, possibly grounds of the sub-station, 2 large oaks (the one on the left looks sick).
	Along the North side (righthand) roadside verge are several small oaks, which have been manually planted, supported by stakes. When these grow they will shade the field. I wondered who planted these, and what role the farmer (Burton Green Farm) had.
	In the same field, 7 free standing oaks; the 4 shown in the picture below mark the line of a former hedgerow This is not a big field, and such a concentration of large free standing oaks is exceptional. The oaks at the rear of 48, 36, 34 and 30, referred to above, also border this field.
	in the same field, near its North-East corner, about 8 medium oaks, around a pond.
	2 large oaks in the field through which the Hodgetts Lane to Cromwell Lane footpath runs; these mark a former hedgerow; this field farmed by Nailcote Farm
	in the same field, 3 large oaks along its Northern hedge, alongside the footpath. Water Tower visible in the background.
Red Lane These trees are shown in the order as you come up Red Lane.
	half way up straight part of Red Lane, outside former shop, large oak
	Wharfdale, medium oak
	Red Lane bend, East side, large oak
	Red Lane bend, West side, top of the hill, 5 medium oaks
	2 Oaks Day Nursery, 3 medium oaks
	New Farm, large oak, from appearance this looks to have a large girth, guess about 200 years
	either side of the road, near top of Red Lane, 2 large oaks
	Stonegate, several small oaks
	4 Seatons Field, medium oak

Woodlands

Black Waste Wood

Stonymoor Wood - Longmeadow Wood

	Stonymoor Wood/Long Meadow Wood was formerly the largest wood in the area, extending from Hob Lane, as far South as the first/last house in Red Lane. And to the West was Stakes Wood.
	This is a recent aerial view of the same area. Approximately 80% of the area of Stonymoor Wood - Longmeadow Wood has been cleared. Stakes Wood has completely disappeared.

Little Poors Wood (Solihull District) This is the wood just off the West side of Cromwell Lane, between Red Lane and Hodgetts Lane (see first picture on this page). A public footpath runs around the South side of the wood and the rear of the wood. This view is from a footpath on the West side. The wood has a proportion of conifers. View also shows a large oak in the field on the West side of the wood. There are 7 oaks in the North-West hedge of this field (behind the photographer)

Big Poors Wood (Solihull District) This wood is off the West side of Hob Lane. There are no footpaths adjacent to the wood. The main viewpoints are from Hob Lane. This view is from a footpath to the North, from the same spot as the picture above.

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