Piles Copse

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In: ecology, environment, film, landscape, oak, woodland visit

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

Ash trees at dawn in Cumbria

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In: ash, disease, environment, science, tree health, trees

As the spread of ash dieback across Britain becomes noticeable, there is a peak in interest about the consequences of ash dieback, with landowners and conservationists seeking good advice about what tree species is best to plant to help nature recover. Here’s a simply summary for landowners, based of peer-reviewed research.Continue Reading

Dartmoor forest by Gabriel Hemery

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In: feature, landscape, writing

For my short story in Arboreal (Little Toller Books, 2016) I decided to write from the perspective of an old man looking back on the transformation of Dartmoor due to the withdrawal of farming subsidies and application of visionary environmental policies. I drew a couple of sketches that didn’t make it into the book.Continue Reading

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In: fungi, science

Next time you crunch or squelch through a rich leaf litter under trees, stop and get your eyes down to the forest floor. Carefully tease apart the rotting leaves, twigs and decaying branches and you may be lucky enough to see some fungal or mycelial cords. Quite a number ofContinue Reading

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In: feature

Today is Easter Day or the day of ressurection in the Christian world. Trees feature as very sigificant elements of the bible …Continue Reading