The Little Book of Trees

I have had the privilege to be involved as a consultant to a wonderful new book: The Little Book of Trees by Andrea Pinnington & Caz Buckingham. I was also very pleased to introduce the authors to the important work of The Forest School Association.Continue Reading

natural tree ages and lifespans

I received an interesting query from a reader recently. Where could they find information about the natural lifespan of trees? In other words, how long do trees live under natural conditions?Continue Reading

A Walnut Wonder

Recently I returned to a stand of walnut hybrid trees that I planted some years ago. I was impressed with the quality of the trees. This tree in particular exhibits all the features you want if you’re interested in growing walnut trees for their timber.Continue Reading

Piles Copse

Nestling among the barren wilderness of Dartmoor is one of three rare wild woods. Piles Copse is a woodland mainly comprising pedunculate oak Quercus robur. The trees, festooned with mosses and lichens, are rich in biodiversity. It is an English rainforest, and a relic of woodland which once covered much of the hilly region.Continue Reading

Wood Wise, Summer 2019

If we look at the utility of trees in a new light, and through a new lens, we may be surprised by what we can see and what we can value. Among all trees, the oak is perhaps best placed to gift us a renewed sight. Continue Reading

trees per person per country

Did you know that Canadians have more trees to enjoy per person than Russians, or that Brazilians have half as many trees per person than Australians? I hope you enjoy my interactive global map below which shows the number of trees per person per country, right around the world. But first, here are a few headlines.Continue Reading

The Great British Elm Search

Despite what many people believe, there remain hundreds of mature elm trees across Britain. If you find one and would like to report it to researchers and conservationists, or are looking to see some yourself, check out this great online resource about healthy elms.Continue Reading