Rory Francis, from Coed Cadw - the Woodland Trust in Wales - described the collapse of the famous Pontfadog Oak as a "sad day."
Speaking to Carl Edwards on our news programme this evening, he called for action to protect such ancient trees, as they are "worth looking after."
This video contains pictures taken by Rob McBride
– Welsh Government spokespersonWe have met Coed Cadw and others a number of times to discuss how we can help to protect ancient trees from damage.
We are currently considering how we can best protect and promote ancient trees in Wales and hope to provide more detail on this issue soon.
Welsh woodland charity Coed Cadw says the Pontfadog was the oldest oak tree in Wales, and probably one of the oldest in Northern Europe, said to have grown since 802.
The charity, part of the Woodland Trust, says "we must learn lessons" from the tree collapsing, because it was not adequately protected.
– Angharad Evans, Coed CadwJust last December, Coed Cadw presented a petition, bearing over 5,300 names, to the Welsh Assembly, calling for better protection for our ancient, veteran and heritage trees and in particular, support for the owners of trees in caring for them, just as the owners of listed buildings can receive support in caring for them.
Also last year, a group of experts from the Ancient Tree Forum visited the Pontfadog Oak and put together a list of actions that they believed could help conserve it.
Although the total cost was only £5,700, these actions were never taken as no funding source was available.
Moray Simpson, Tree Officer for Wrexham, said "it would be good to try and save the fallen parts of the tree for posterity and to show future generations what we had and what was lost due to the nation not doing enough to save these trees."
An oak tree in the Ceiriog Valley near Llangollen, which is thought to be the oldest in the UK, has collapsed.
Coed Cadw - the Welsh arm of the woodland conservation charity The Woodland Trust - says the Pontfadog Oak, the fattest in Wales, was covered in very heavy snow over the last month, and has now blown over in high winds.
A Facebook page on the tree says it is thought to be between 1,200 and 1,600 years old.
The charity says legend has it that Owain Gwynedd rallied his welsh troops under this tree in the 12th century and then went on to defeat Henry II in a great battle.
It says: "What a loss to history, biodiversity and landscape interests."
Organisers of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod say it has staged a dramatic reversal of fortune by making a profit for the first time in five years and ploughing £1.5 million into the local economy.
They say the event defied the recession and bad weather to record a profit of £22,668.
Advance sales for this year's International Eisteddfod are said to be breaking previous records.
The A542 Horseshoe Pass is closed due to snow between B5103 (Llangollen) and A5104 (Llandegla).
The heavy rain of December's meant many problems for people all over Wales. The latest victim is one of Wales' most popular tourist attractions, the Llangollen railway.
Staff there have had to cut journeys short to cope with a riverside landslip, as Rob Shelley reports.
The A5 is just passable because of flooding around Maesmawr Road (Llangollen).
Rob Shelley meets the team at Llangollen Railway planning to build a steam engine from scratch.
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