Sunrise in the Cevennes

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In: photo

Sunrise and valley mist in the Cevennes mountains of south east France.  The forests contain a large proportion of sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) trees, alongside downy oak (Quercus pubescens) and various pines and spruces. Gabriel HemeryContinue 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: Our Forests

A briefing document has been published by the Our Forests ginger group, setting the record straight about ancient woodlands in England. During the public outcry over the Government’s declared proposals to dispose of the public woods and forests managed by the Forestry Commission in England, particular concerns were raised aboutContinue Reading

Swallow and trees

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In: birds

“One swallow doesn’t make a summer!” This seemed an apt saying to sum up this year’s British summer.  It’s been difficult to photograph anything ‘hot’ to meet this week’s photo challenge, at least in the British countryside. Gabriel HemeryContinue 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

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In: news, Our Forests

The Our Forests ginger group met for the second time in London earlier today. We are planning a number of interventions over the coming months in response to the Government’s review of forestry policy and the public forest estate in England.  Read more Following a very fruitful meeting, we posedContinue Reading

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In: Our Forests

Today The Hawk and Owl Trust released a strongly worded position statement aimed at the England Forestry Panel. It states that: Forestry Commission forests must remain in national ownership and be given effective protection in the public domain for all of us, for ever the Forestry Commission should be givenContinue Reading

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In: Our Forests

In an exciting step, 38 Degrees have launched a new action to enable everyone to have their say about the future of England’s forests. What do forests mean to you?     In just 24 hours since its launch, over 17,000 comments have been received.  Read more and join theContinue 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