 Veteran trees often have features of particularly high nature conservation value, such as dead limbs, hollows, rot-holes, water pools, seepages, woodpecker holes, splits, loose bark, limbs reaching the ground, and epiphytic plants and lichens.Few of these features are found on younger trees, and they provide habitats for very many species of animals and fungi, some of which are rare.Such features are sometimes removed or damaged by pruning or other arboricultural practices.