A Walnut Wonder

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In: agroforestry, forestry, walnut

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

On:
In: science, silvology, trees

I’ve recently co-authored this scientific paper which reveals the history of common walnut in Europe. Abstract Common walnut (Juglans regia L) is an economically important species cultivated worldwide for its high-quality wood and nuts. It is generally accepted that after the last glaciation J. regia survived and grew in almost completelyContinue Reading

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

Walnut collecting family with donkeys in Kyrgyzstan

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In: Kyrgyzstan, people, photo, photography

Deep in the walnut-fruit forests of Kyrgyzstan, miles from the nearest track passable by a 4×4, I was climbing a narrow path when the family group suddenly appeared around a corner. I quickly asked (with gestures only as I don’t speak Kyrgyz) whether I could take a photo, and after Dad’s nodding approval I managed to take just two frames as they carried on past.Continue 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

On:
In: arboriculture, forestry, science, trees

Many people are interested in how big a tree’s crown will grow. It can be important in planning gardens, managing street trees, forest silviculture and in assessing the health of ancient trees. Estimating tree height is very imprecise as it is dependent on so many different factors.  However, I wroteContinue Reading