The effect of excluding grazing in the walnut forests, Kyrgyzstan

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In: feature

Sheltering in the south-western Tian Shan mountains exist a unique yet threatened forest found nowhere else on Earth. These forests are the walnut-fruit forests of Kyrgyzstan. Last month I attended an international conference concerning the sustainable management of the forests (see my travel photos). The walnut-fruit forests are considered aContinue Reading

Robin's pincushion gall - Diplolepis rosae

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In: feature, nature, photo, trees

Cecidology – the study of galls produced on trees and plants by fungi, insects, or mites Most children have played games with oak apples (e.g. they’re great in a slingshot!) but few kids, or adults, realise that an oak apple is not a natural part of the tree, at least notContinue Reading

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In: feature, nature, recipe, trees

The grey squirrel is perhaps one of the most commonly seen of British mammals being highly visible in parks, gardens and woodlands.  This, in combination with its large eyes and bushy tail, often make it an attractive and popular animal in the public eye. Grey squirrels are, however, a seriousContinue Reading

Elder and farm machinery HDR image

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In: feature, trees

Trees are beautiful to the eye but their smell is often overlooked. I don’t mean the obvious showy flowering trees but the hidden olfactory wonders in leaf, bark and seed. Here are my favourite Fragrant trees, and some less popular Odiferous trees. Fragrant trees The fresh needles of the EuropeanContinue Reading

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In: feature, trees

It is Saint Swithin’s Day today, 15th July: the day on which people traditionally watch the weather.  Tradition says that whatever the weather is like on St. Swithin’s Day, it will continue the same for the next forty days. There is a well-known weather-rhyme in Britain: St. Swithin’s day ifContinue Reading

Chene d'Ecole, Belleme Forest

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In: feature, forestry

Translate to French Aujourd’hui, c’est la Fête Nationale en France: today is Bastille Day in France.  It seemed to be a perfect occasion to celebrate France and its wonderful trees and forests. Le peuple français et ses forêts The trees and forests of France are deeply engrained in the FrenchContinue Reading

Black walnut in Oxford Botanic Garden

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In: arboriculture, feature, travel

Britain has many wonderful collections of trees in arboreta, botanic gardens and country parks.  Many of these are some of the oldest collections in the world.  I’ve created an interactive Google map showing the finest collections of trees in Britain. Click on the map icons to read more about eachContinue Reading