Native Black Poplars

As part of my volunteer role as artist-in-residence with Herefordshire Wildlife Trust, I have made a series portraits of Native Black Poplars around the county, from sapling to ancient. I collaborated with local poet, Maggie Reed who wrote 23 poems and haikus in response to the trees. Our show and events in October 2026 attracted 500 visitors and we raised £1,100 for the Native Black Poplar Fund managed by The Herefordshire Tree Wardens.

These magnificent, gnarly trees, celebrated in John Constable's paintings, were once common on floodplains and wet areas. However, drainage of the land for agriculture has meant they have slowly disappeared from the landscape. A recent survey estimated there are 7000 black poplars in England, Wales and Ireland, of which only 600 are female and vital to the survival of the species.

A small but dedicated group of volunteers is working to save the tree in our county, supported by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and The Herefordshire Tree Wardens. Work includes recording, assessing and caring for existing trees, planting new trees and DNA analysis to identify clones where funds permit. An arboretum has recently been created at Oak Tree Farm nature reserve with examples of every known Herefordshire clone, male and female. Find out how you can help here.