An Ilkley pub is playing a key role in a new national survey aimed at shedding more light on the relationship which exists between people and trees.

The Cow and Calf Inn, on Hangingstone Road, will be asking willing customers to fill in short questionnaires from the International Tree Foundation (ITF) throughout the month.

The ITF has provided the pub with special woodland survey sheets which will ask a range of tree related questions including:

l What trees did you pass on the journey to the pub?

l Where were they growing?

l What animals seemed to be occupying them?

Pub landlord Robbie Wild thinks his customers will be only too happy to take part.

He said: "It is a really great idea and coincides with the Tree Council's Walk In The Woods scheme.

"One of the reasons why our inn is so popular is the lovely surroundings which our guests enjoy taking in. This will just encourage them to make physical notes instead of mental ones.

"We will have the survey forms available behind the bar and are hoping that Ilkley people will really do us proud and help the ITF find out a great deal about trees in this area."

ITF chief executive Kay Sexton said she was delighted that the Cow & Calf had agreed to take part, and urged all of its customers to get involved.

She said: "Since 1924 the ITF has been planting and preserving trees globally. In 2003, to support our Count to Tree campaign, we are inviting people to help us understand the relationship between trees and people in the UK.

"The survey results will give a big picture of how we view trees and interact with them in our local environment, and will allow the ITF to plan campaigns and create better tree planting projects here and worldwide."

To find out more about the survey and the work of the ITF visit www.internationaltreefoundation.org.