Study and valuation of emblematic yew trees in the province of León

Last August we had the presence of the arboriculture expert Christopher John Knapman in the province of León. The aim of Christopher's visit was to study and assess the condition of monumental yew trees such as the Yew of San Critóbal in San Estéban de Valdueza (Ponferrada) or the Yew of Nocedo de Cabrera (Castrillo de Cabrera). He also visited two of the Alto Sil yew woods, La Seita (Cuevas del Sil, Palacios del Sil), and Brañarronda (Rioscuro, Villablino). In the latter two, the assessment is aimed above all at the state of the stands with regard to the over-frequentation of large yew trees in the surrounding areas, among other possible threats, especially in Brañarronda.


Image 1: Christopher J. Knapman explaining to technicians from the Junta de Castilla y León and Ponferrada City Council the possible actions to be carried out in the San Cristóbal yew tree.


Image 2: Detail of the San Cristóbal yew tree with one of its branches broken after a storm in March 2020.
Imagen 3: Gap caused by the breakage of one of the main branches.


Imagen 4: visita a la tejeda de Brañarronda, Rioscuro, Villablino