This is the first of a new series of posts at The Treeographer: the Postcard Post! I’ll write a short description of a tree and its surroundings, and at the end there is a FREE download of a ready to print postcard.

The Yew of Aginalde is located high in the mountains of the Gorbeia Natural Park in Spain’s Basque Country. Although they grow naturally in the area, there aren’t many yew trees left. Logging is a major industry, and replanting efforts have been focused on faster growing, more profitable trees like fir and pine.

The Yew of Aginalde

The tree doesn’t receive many visitors, but there is a small refuge nearby. The fence around the tree is not for people, but instead to keep local horses and donkeys from damaging the trunk while scratching themselves against it. The soil of the fields nearby has also been disturbed by wild pigs digging for food.

Fortunately, rangers see the value of yew trees, and hundreds of seedlings have been planted. They are still young, and with a growth rate of less than 1 cm (1/3 in) per year, it will be some time before they grow into a full forest.

Yew seedlings growing nearby. The soil has been dug up by wild pigs as they search for food

Click here to download the ready-to-print postcard for this spectacular tree. Like all stories on The Treeographer, it’s available for free! Thanks for reading!