A book which celebrates more than 130 of Scotland's most remarkable and favourite trees has been launched today by Scottish Forestry Minister Rhona Brankin.
"Heritage Trees of Scotland" features some of the most attractive, oldest, rarest, widest and weirdest trees in the country, many with fascinating historical stories behind them.

Covering all corners of the country, the book highlights trees such as the Fortingall Yew, which could be as old as Stonehenge, and others which are so old they were standing when Roman legionaries fought Pictish warriors. Many of our heritage trees also sheltered great poets, musicians and soldier heroes.
Welcoming its publication, Rhona Brankin said:
"Scotland is blessed with many stunning and fascinating heritage trees. These old natural treasures often have amazing stories associated with them, rich with historical and cultural significance.
"Inspired by public enthusiasm, many of the trees in this special book have been nominated by the public as one of Scotland's heritage trees. Beauty is always in the eye of the beholder though, and some of these trees are more weird and wonderful than beautiful. However, each tree should be admired as part of Scotland's rich heritage.”
Most of the trees in the book are accessible to the public, and some are in rural areas which are more dependent on visitors to help their local economies. The book aims to promote the importance of these treasures, but hopefully its publication could also stimulate more people to go and see them.
 The book was written by East Lothian woodland consultant and Heritage Trees project officer Donald Rodger, who is an authority on Scotland’s heritage and veteran trees, Jon Stokes of the Tree Council and James Ogilvie of Forestry Commission Scotland, who is chairman of the Heritage Trees initiative. Most of the photographs were taken by well-known tree and nature photographers Archie Miles and Edward Parker.
This is the second edition of "Heritage Trees Of Scotland", and features 134 trees or groups of trees. The first, A5-format, soft-back edition was published in 2003 and featured 100 trees. It generated so much public interest that readers notified several dozen new trees to the authors, prompting this second, enlarged edition, which is in hardback quarto format and full colour. The final selection of trees to record in the book was made by an expert panel of judges.
The book costs ?19.99 and is available from leading booksellers or by mail order from Forestry Commission Publications, P.O. Box 25, Wetherby, West Yorkshire LS23 7EW; telephone: 0870 121 4180; fax: 0870 121 4181; e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Cheques, made payable to the Forestry Commission, should be included with mail orders.
A sample of the trees featured in the book are featured on the website www.forestry.gov.uk/heritagetreesscotland.