Lying in 150 acres this arboretum has many dedicated trees with memorials within The National Forest in Staffordshire. It is a living and growing tribute to so many people.
Planting began in the 1990s with cuttings from a Lime 'Tilia cordata', a several thousand year old tree still alive in the Westonbirt Arboretum. These cuttings were planted in 2000 to form the Millennium Avenue. Nearby is a group of Eucalyptus trees dedicated to the Australian airmen based in the UK during World War II.
The trees are mainly young and cover a wide range of species. The location is by the river and is a wildlife haven in this beautiful habitat. Originally the scene was a flat riverside plain quarried for sand and gravel. Now it has been planted with over 50,000 trees and is already becoming an established arboretum. From the 33 native species of tree in the UK 32 are seen here in the arboretum, the missing one being Wych Elm.
London Plane and Chestnut trees line The Beat as a memorial by every Police Force in the UK. At the end of The Beat is the Golden Grove with trees with golden foliage, fruit or stems. Then there are young Redwoods in a line planted by the International Tree Foundation.
Within the Chapel, near the visitor centre, a two minutes silence is observed every day; here there are twelve pillars of Douglas Fir. The Ambulance Service plot contains six Dawn Redwoods and the Merchant Navy wood contains 2536 Oaks representing the number of British flagged merchant vessels lost to enemy action in World War II.
A Wollemi Pine from the Blue Mountains of Australia can be seen near the Commando memorial. Plants and memorials are interconnected; the Indian Army and Royal Indian Navy have trees from the Himalayas and Southern Asia.
The National Memorial Arboretum is described on Wikipedia:
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visit link)
'The National Memorial Arboretum (grid reference SK185144) is a national site of remembrance at Alrewas, near the city of Lichfield, Staffordshire, England.
It gives its purpose as:
The National Memorial Arboretum honours the fallen, recognises sacrifice and fosters pride in our country. It is a spiritually uplifting place and is emerging as a world-renowned centre for remembrance.
Origins
The idea for the arboretum was conceived by David Childs in 1988. He believed that it would form a living tribute to service men and women for future generations to reflect upon and enjoy. The Arboretum was established around the turn of the Millennium, with an official opening on 16 May 2001. It is a registered charity and is managed by The Royal British Legion.
The Arboretum is situated just south of the village of Alrewas on approximately 150 acres (0.61 km2; 0.23 sq mi) of old gravel workings, 5 miles north of Lichfield, Staffordshire. It is adjacent to the confluence of the River Tame with the River Trent, and directly neighbouring Croxall Lakes. It is situated at the western end of the National Forest, just off the A38.
The Arboretum contains over 50,000 trees, with more being added each year.
There are over 150 memorials and plots for the armed forces, civilian organisations and voluntary bodies who have played a part in serving the country; and even HMS Amethyst's cat. A number of corporate war memorials - from British banks, building societies, and insurance companies - are also located in the grounds. At the heart of the Arboretum is the impressive Armed Forces Memorial, which is a tribute to almost 16,000 service personnel who have lost their lives in conflict or as a result of terrorism since the end of the Second World War. At 11 am on 11 November each year the sun shines through two slits in the outer and inner walls of the memorial, casting a shaft of light across a wreath in the centre.
Within the Arboretum is the Millennium Chapel of Peace and Forgiveness where, at 11am each day, an act of remembrance takes place. Following the two minutes' silence, accompanied by the Last Post and Reveille, there is an introductory talk about the Arboretum.
The Armed Forces Memorial was dedicated in October 2007 by the Archbishop of Canterbury in the presence of the Queen.'