The Birnam Oak, the last fragment of Birnam Wood made famous by Shakespeare’s Macbeth, has undergone urgent tree surgery to preserve this historic tree.

The ancient tree’s trunk is hollow, however, as its long branches are still growing, without remedial action the significant strain they were exerting could have caused the trunk to split in half. Based on recommendations from Arboretum Internationale, one of Scotland’s top tree surgeons, Perth & Kinross Countryside Trust carried out remedial works in June 2016 to mitigate these problems and keep the tree alive for years to come.

The works included the removal of dead wood and some of the top and outer branches to help reduce the weight on the tree trunk. As the Birnam Oak provides a great habitat for wildlife, we also had the lovely Aquila Ecology team on site to make sure we weren't disturbing any wildlife, especially bats.

Although the tree is now stable in the short-term, a further £100,000 of work is needed to ensure its long-term future. This work will include replacing the rotting props currently holding up the tree’s heavier branches, dealing with the soil compaction and drainage issues around the tree’s roots and protecting the soil around the tree from further floods.

To raise these funds, Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust, the Friends of Birnam Oak and the Dunkeld and Birnam Tourist Association have come together to launch a fundraising appeal.

The £100,000 fundrasing campagin is now underway and you can support this special project by

donating here.