From Robin Hood's Oak to the Philippines: Why Some Trees Capture Our Imagination

Did you hear about the Major Oak tree that failed to produce leaves this year?

On its own, that might not sound like much. Trees do that; they age, they change. But this one is different.

The Major Oak (also known as the Royal Oak) in Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire is tied to the legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men, and has stood for more than 1,200 years in Sherwood Forest. It has long been treated as both a living tree and a piece of English folklore.

So when it failed to leaf for the first time in its long life, it was the end of an era. It showed that the oldest living things eventually complete their cycle. However, the reaction showed that people still notice trees, and often see them as more than just nature; they are landmarks, symbols, and protectors of communities.

Across the world, including in places like the Philippines, trees are not only observed but respected as part of how people live alongside the land.

Here are some remarkable trees that show why they matter — in ways that go far beyond appearance.

Robin Hood's Major Oak Tree, England

The Major Oak, England: A Tree That Put Sherwood Forest on the Map

Some trees become famous because of their size, others because of their beauty.

The Major Oak in Sherwood Forest, England, became famous because of a story.

Estimated to be between 1,000 and 1,200 years old, this ancient oak is forever linked to the legend of Robin Hood and his Merry Men. Whether the stories are true or not doesn't matter; it became one of England's most recognisable natural attractions, where drew thousands of visitors every year.

Looking up through the branches of Robin Hood's legendary oak.

​The Major Oak shows how one tree can become part of an area's identity. Sherwood Forest would still be beautiful without it, but this giant helped put it on the map for generations of travellers interested in history, folklore and nature.

Its significance as an ancient tree goes beyond tourism. They provide valuable habitats for birds, insects and fungi, creating miniature ecosystems that can support wildlife for hundreds of years.

After failing to produce leaves, experts believe the Major Oak reached the end of its natural life; proof that even the world's most famous trees are not permanent, and we should experience them while we can.

All around the world, there are many more trees that capture people's attention, all for entirely different reasons.

Forest bathing means to immerse yourself in nature, it's a developing wellness trend

Forest Bathing: Why Spending Time Among Trees Has Become a Wellness Trend

Forest bathing or nature therapy means immersing yourself in a natural, wooded environment and taking time to appreciate where you are. It was first developed in Japan, where it is known as Shinrin-yoku.

No fitness level is required, and nothing needs to be achieved. You walk slowly, or sometimes not at all. You listen to birds, feel the breeze through the leaves, notice light shifting through branches, and step away from constant noise and screens.

Tree tourism and forest bathing is trending

​This simple approach to time in nature has become part of wider wellness tourism, as more travellers look for experiences that feel restorative rather than busy. It also links closely with what is sometimes called tree tourism, where the focus is not only on visiting famous trees, but on spending time among them in a more mindful way.

Research has linked time among trees with lower stress levels, reduced blood pressure, improved mood, and a greater sense of calm and clarity. It is one of the simplest forms of wellbeing travel, requiring nothing more than time and attention.

Without realising it, many guests at Moalboal Eco Lodge are already practising forest bathing each morning while sitting on their terrace with a coffee, listening to Philippine Coucals and Collared Kingfishers in the trees.

General Sherman, USA: Famous for Its Size

In California’s Sequoia National Park stands the General Sherman Tree, a giant sequoia which is widely regarded as the largest tree in the world by volume. It is estimated to be around 2,200 years old, and was already growing long before ancient civilisations existed.

This tree is famous worldwide for its sheer size. Standing over 80 metres tall, with a huge trunk measuring more than 30 metres in circumference, its reputation comes entirely from scale rather than story; a natural landmark that has become globally recognised because of what it is, not what it represents.

Despite its age, the General Sherman Tree is still part of a living forest ecosystem, supporting birds, insects and other wildlife, while also playing a role in storing vast amounts of carbon.

The General Sherman shows that some of the world’s most remarkable natural landmarks are defined not by human history, but by extraordinary size and longevity.

Ta Prohm, Cambodia was a film location for Tomb Raider

Ta Prohm, Cambodia: Where Nature Reclaims History

In Cambodia’s Angkor Archaeological Park, Ta Prohm is one of the most striking examples of trees shaping a destination.

Built in the 12th century, the temple was gradually abandoned and left to the forest, where nature slowly took over.

Today, enormous strangler fig and silk-cotton trees grow through the stone ruins, with roots wrapping around walls, doorways and courtyards. In many places, the trees and temple are no longer separate; they are completely intertwined.

Strangler Fig tree in Siem Reap made famous by Lara Croft as a film location

It appeared in the Hollywood film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, which introduced this tree and temple to a global audience. It's a combination that makes Ta Prohm one of Siem Reap's most visited temples.

The strangler fig is key to this process. It often begins life high in another tree or structure, then sends roots downward until it reaches the ground, gradually expanding and surrounding whatever it grows on.

Ta Prohm shows this on a large scale, where trees have not just survived around human history, but become part of it.

Old Balete Tree, Siquijor Philippines

Strangler Fig at Moalboal Eco Lodge

The Balete Tree, Philippines: Siquijor’s Famous Living Landmark

In Siquijor, known as the Philippines’ “witch island,” one of the most visited natural landmarks is an enormous balete tree estimated to be 400-500 years old.

Like the strangler figs in Ta Prohm, balete trees begin life growing around a host tree before slowly enveloping it over time. The result is a dense, twisting structure of roots and trunks that look almost otherworldly.

Part of what draws visitors here is not just its size, but the atmosphere around it. In local folklore, balete trees have long been associated with spirits and traditional beliefs, and Siquijor is known across the Philippines for stories of healers and rituals, particularly around Easter.

​Today, the tree is a recognised tourist stop, with visitors coming to see its massive roots and the natural spring that flows beneath it, where small fish gather in the cool water. Nature, culture and belief overlap, making the balete tree one of the most distinctive natural landmarks in the Philippines.

At Moalboal Eco Lodge, a young strangler fig began growing naturally in front of one of our rooms. Instead of removing it, we allowed it to grow and later adapted the surrounding structure, adjusting a nearby wall to give it space. It is a small example of how we try to live alongside nature rather than against it. Every ancient tree began as a seedling. Protecting young trees today gives future generations the chance to inherit the natural landmarks we admire now.

Photo credit: The Treeographer

Rainbow Eucalyptus, Philippines: Nature’s Colourful Surprise

The rainbow eucalyptus (Eucalyptus deglupta) is one of the most visually striking trees found here in the Philippines, as well as in Indonesia and Papua New Guinea. It is known not for its size or history, but for its colour.

As the tree grows, its bark sheds in strips, revealing fresh layers underneath. These layers shift from green to blue, orange, purple and deep maroon, creating a trunk that looks almost painted. The colour becomes more visible as the tree matures, with the most vivid rainbow effects typically seen in trees around 10 to 20 years old, once the bark has developed its full shedding cycle.

This ongoing peeling process creates the rainbow effect, and no two trees ever look exactly the same. Each one changes gradually throughout the year as new bark replaces the old.

Unlike ancient trees linked to folklore or film, its appeal is visual. People stop because it is striking and stands out — a flash of colour in a predominantly green landscape.

It is a tree that does not need context or explanation; it draws attention through its natural beauty wherever it grows.

Global Beliefs: Why Trees Mean More Than Nature

Across different cultures and continents, trees are rarely seen as just part of the landscape.

Japan: Ancient trees within Shinto shrine grounds are often treated as sacred, marked with ropes to show they are believed to be inhabited by spiritual presence. 

India: Entire sacred groves are protected by local communities because they are considered home to deities or ancestral spirits, making cutting trees within them culturally unacceptable.

New Zealand: Among Māori communities, forests and specific trees can hold ancestral significance, with deep connections to identity, lineage and place. 

Parts of the Amazon: Many Indigenous tribes describe forests as living systems of relationship, where trees are part of a wider network of beings rather than resources to be used.

Philippines: Some trees are believed in local tradition to be inhabited by nature spirits, and rituals of respect or permission are sometimes performed before they are cut. In some cases, workers have refused to fell a tree until permission was formally asked from the spirit said to dwell within it.

These beliefs vary widely, but they share a common idea: trees are not separate from human life — they are part of it.

Trees provide shade in cities and lower the surrounding temperature

Why Trees Matter: Cooling Cities, Protecting Land and Supporting Life

Trees are often appreciated for their beauty or history, but their role in everyday life goes far beyond that.

In cities, trees provide shade that helps lower surrounding temperatures, reducing heat trapped in concrete and asphalt. They also release moisture into the air, helping to soften extreme urban temperatures and improve air quality.

In rural and coastal areas, their role becomes even more critical. Tree roots bind soil together, reducing erosion and lowering the risk of landslides during heavy rain. In the Philippines and many coastal regions worldwide, mangroves act as natural barriers, slowing storm surges and helping protect communities from flooding and strong winds.

Mangrove trees are literally lifesavers in typhoons and hurricanes

​During Typhoon Odette, some coastal areas saw how effective mangrove systems can be, with intact forests helping absorb part of the impact compared to more exposed locations.

Trees also form the foundation of entire ecosystems. They provide food and shelter for birds, insects and countless other species, supporting pollination and natural cycles that humans depend on more than we often realise.

From shaded streets in growing cities to coastal mangroves facing powerful storms, trees are not separate from human life. They are part of how landscapes function, how ecosystems survive, and how communities adapt.

Birds need trees, and we need both birds and the trees

Birds Need Trees, and We Need Birds

One of the clearest ways to understand the importance of trees is to look at the birds they support.

Here at Moalboal Eco Lodge, the mixture of fruit-bearing and dense trees has created a natural home for species such as Black-naped Orioles, Garden Sunbirds, Philippine Magpie-Robin and the Philippine Bulbul.

They rely on trees for:

• nesting and shelter
• insects for food
• flowers and fruit sources
• protection from heat and rain

In return, birds help with pollination and seed dispersal, keeping the ecosystem moving and regenerating.

When trees disappear, these relationships break down quickly, and they are not easily replaced.

 Explore our birdwatching page to discover the species regularly seen around the lodge. ​

Birds will pollinate and spread seeds, this keeps our ecosystem moving

We travel thousands of miles to see waterfalls, mountains and famous landmarks, yet often walk past trees without a second thought. It it because trees are everywhere that we stop noticing them?

But behind the scenes, they are constantly working — shaping landscapes, supporting wildlife and holding ecosystems together in ways that are easy to miss but impossible to replace.

A Final Thought: Why Trees Draw Us In

From an ancient oak in England linked to Robin Hood, to towering sequoias in California, to temples in Cambodia slowly being reclaimed by roots, and the colourful bark of the rainbow eucalyptus in the Philippines, trees have a way of becoming more than just part of the landscape

Perhaps it is because they are so common in our lives that we stop noticing just how extraordinary they are, until they are gone. Staying somewhere surrounded by mature trees is one of the simplest ways to appreciate them every day.

Key Takeaways

• Trees are cultural landmarks as well as ecological systems
• Ancient trees support biodiversity for centuries
• Forest bathing is now recognised as a wellness practice
• Trees protect communities from heat, floods and erosion
• Famous trees often become travel destinations in their own right

FAQ's About Trees and Travel

Why do people visit famous trees?

People are often drawn by a mix of history, size, culture, film locations or natural beauty, depending on the tree.

What is tree tourism?

Tree tourism refers to travelling to visit famous, ancient, culturally significant or visually striking trees as destinations in their own right. It overlaps with eco-tourism and nature travel, and includes everything from sacred trees and ancient oaks to giant sequoias and rainforest landmarks.

What is forest bathing?

Forest bathing is the practice of spending quiet, unstructured time in natural, wooded environments to relax and reset.

What is the Royal Oak tree in England?

A historic oak in Nottinghamshire associated with the Robin Hood legend, estimated to be over 1,000 years old and one of England’s most culturally significant trees.

Why are old trees important?

Ancient trees support complex ecosystems, providing shelter, food and habitat for birds, insects and fungi.

Are trees important in the Philippines?

Yes. Trees such as mangroves protect coastlines from storms, support biodiversity and play a vital role in reducing flooding and erosion.

If this article has inspired you to spend more time among trees, Moalboal Eco Lodge offers a peaceful base surrounded by nature, just minutes from Moalboal's famous marine life and adventures.

Book your nature stay