A NEW interactive website offers a way to enjoy and learn about the extraordinary range of trees on the main Whiteknights campus of the University of Reading.
The online guide gives users a chance to explore and learn about more than 850 trees and 320 species appear through 9,000 photos.
They examine the variety of trees that grow across the campus in all seasons, including details such as leaves and bark.
Visitors, staff and students on campus can use the website to identify the trees or take a specially-designed tour.
In the early 19th century, Whiteknights Park was the estate of the Marquis of Blandford, a botany enthusiast.
Some of the trees, both native and exotic, have stood here since those times.
From the mid-19th century until the University arrived in 1947, it was the grounds of six Victorian mansions–four of which still exist as university buildings.
During the 80 years of its ownership, the university has preserved and developed the natural beauty and character of the campus by employing gardeners and arborists to take care of the trees and the variety of landscapes, including the open spaces, the lake, the Harris Garden and the Wilderness.
Among the trees on the campus are examples of the Giant Redwood, the largest tree species on the planet; the Wollemi Pine, previously thought extinct until a small grove was discovered in 1994; and the Maidenhair Tree, the sole surviving species of a whole botanical division which has remained unchanged for nearly 200 million years.
The website is being launched as part of the University of Reading centenary celebrations in 2026.
Professor Jonathan Gregory, who has worked since 2003 as a climate scientist in the Department of Meteorology, took the photos and built the site as a spare-time project.
He said: “It’s taken several years, starting just before the pandemic–I find wandering around to take the photos a relaxing and happy activity.
“My initial aim was to help others to recognise native tree species, because that was a wonderful experience for me in my twenties.
“It turned the countryside from a sea of green into a gathering of familiar characters; if you think any of the trees were misidentified, please let me know.”
He added: “The natural beauty everywhere in Whiteknights is just wonderful. Some of my favourite trees are in quiet corners, like the magnificent hickory (Carya ovata) in the triangle south of the Miller and Wager buildings.
“The open spaces provide good views too, at all times of year.”
