Maiden sweet chestnut and coppice

On:
In: forestry, silviculture, trees

This week I had the pleasure of visiting Kent – “England’s garden” – famous for its apple, cherry and cobnut growing.  It is also the centre of Britain’s sweet chestnut coppice industry. Sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) was introduced to Britain by the Romans some 2000 years ago.  Its attraction wasContinue Reading

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In: art, photo

Early dawn in rural Oxfordshire, England.  The sun was about to rise over the Chilterns (left) early on this morning in June, and would soon illuminate the Wittenham Clumps, visible in the centre distance. Gabriel HemeryContinue Reading

On:
In: nature, photo, trees

Deep within an English woodland, while the distant bark of a roe deer echoed between the hazel coppice stools, the nearby sounds of a calling coot led to me to water and a hidden woodland pond.  As I explored the fringes of the carr woodland I came across these luminescentContinue Reading

On:
In: nature, photo

Here in the south of Britain we’ve experienced our first substantial rain for many weeks, following the driest April and May since meteorological records began.  During a particularly heavy shower while I was in the woods today, I took shelter under a beautiful sycamore tree.  Looking up I discovered thatContinue Reading