A poignant reminder of one man’s dedication to Bishop’s Stortford’s trees has been restored by his family.
As the 50th anniversary of David Moore’s death approaches next year, his widow Jenny Savage and sons Robert, Jonathan and Andrew have revamped the plaque that marks his contribution to conservation.
It stands in the David Moore Garden - a green memorial next to Waitrose supermarket and the former Causeway car park.
The biology lecturer at Hockerill College was just 39 when he passed away in 1975, but he left a growing legacy.
Known as “The Tree Man”, he moved to Bishop’s Stortford from Surrey to take up his teaching post at the college and lived first in Havers Lane.
Jenny, secretary of the Arts Society and until recently a contributor to the talking newspaper, still lives in the Maze Green Road home they shared.
Mr Moore was a sidesman at St Michael’s Church in Windhill and a member of its parochial church council.
He was also a leading light of the Civic Society, now the civic federation, and was instrumental in a survey of the town’s trees which began in 1968.
When a special tree group was formed in 1970, he became the chairman and he championed Plant a Tree Year in 1973.
In all, 400 specimens were planted including many along the River Stort between Grange Paddocks and the Causeway.
Mr Moore’s special interest was Dutch Elm disease which killed 90% of elm trees in the UK in the 1960s and 1970s and he was a renowned expert in the field.
In 1977, the Civic Society won permission to transform an area of wasteland into a wooded haven in his memory and the garden was planted with 17 trees with help from his friends and colleagues.
Son Jonathan said: “We were obviously devastated to lose our father and my mother her husband unexpectedly all those years ago. But we are immensely proud of the conservation work he did with others in the town.
“Having the green memorial space to him…for people in the town to enjoy is a lovely way to keep his memory alive, especially given the pressure on space in the town centre.
“We’re sure he would have approved of ensuring we keep a space for people to enjoy nature.
“We would also like to thank the town council who have been very supportive, in particular the cemetery and maintenance team who clearly share our father’s passion for the great outdoors.”
The restored plaque is now ready to bear testament to Mr Morre’s legacy for another 50 years.