The Green Season

Friday links...No103

It’s finally happening. After what always seems an age, the trees and woodlands are coming back to life. Add in a bit of sunshine and this is my favourite time of year. Every day now, when walking in the woods, running or driving along the lanes, it’s so good to see the greenness returning. Yes, the showy blossom trees are amazing, especially the magnolias. And while seeing the hedgerows quickly accelerate ahead, it’s the slow, patient return of the big, ancient trees and woods that bring me so much joy. It’s just beginning and am so enjoying seeing, day-by-day, tree-by-tree, this amazing annual reemergence. First gradually, then suddenly (to misquote Hemingway).

1. In 2022, we went to see an incredible photographic exhibition by Adrian Houston put on by Sotheby’s London. I was so keen to see this, I got the time wrong and we arrived an hour early on the Sunday. But that meant when it opened we luckily seemed to have the gallery quietly to ourselves for most of the time which made the experience more special and uplifting.

The Queen's Green Canopy captures 70 ancient trees and 70 ancient woodlands dedicated by the QGC initiative in honour of the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It features amazing photographs of the UK’s best-loved trees, many of which inspired historic figures, artists and writers through the centuries.

“The Queen’s Green Canopy is a way of illustrating how trees and woodlands connect us all on a universal level. They are a defining and constant part of the landscape. This campaign has shone a light on our ancient trees and woodlands and the importance of planting for our future generations.” Link to book.

Adding a few more images in here as they’re simply stunning.

2. Walking with Trees by Glennie Kindred. My favourite tree and tree lore writer. Do check out her work.“Walking with Trees is a heart-response to our present times, reminding us of our power to co-create beneficial change, and to help restore ecosystems with the help of the trees. This is a book of our time, as we come to recognise our deep interconnectivity with the natural world around us.”

3. Alongside the now famous 2016 book, ‘Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate’ by Peter Wohlleben…this is a similar, great piece of work: How trees talk to each other by Suzanne Simard. “Her 30 years of research in Canadian forests have led to an astounding discovery - trees talk, often and over vast distances. Learn more about the harmonious yet complicated social lives of trees and prepare to see the natural world with new eyes.”

4. The now well-known practice of Shinrin-Yoku: the art and science of forest bathing. The best book on the subject I’ve come across is “Into The Forest” by Dr Quig Li which came out in 2019. “Humans are increasingly becoming an indoor species. We spend 90 per cent of our life indoors. And, on average, we dedicate eight hours a day looking at screens. Our increasingly domestic lives are having huge consequences to our health.

Applying cutting-edge research and emerging science, Dr Li explores the inherent connection between nature and improved wellbeing. This practical guide will help you overcome some of life's most problematic health issues, including how to reduce blood pressure; lower stress; improve energy levels; and boost the immune system.”

5. If you’re looking for a bit of quiet respite and inspiration over the weekend, this is a wonderful way to spend 6 minutes: “Screened at over 60 International Film Festivals and Winner of 14 Prestigious Awards, this film is a first-person adaptation of the practice of taking a short, leisurely visit to a forest for health benefits.”

6. Tree FM: Tune Into Forests From Around The World. Escape, Relax & Preserve. An interesting, crowd-sourced experience. Listen to the sounds of a random forest from around the world. “People around the world recorded the sounds of their forests, so you can escape into nature, and unwind wherever you are. Take a breath and soak in the forest sounds as they breathe with life and beauty.”

7. The Temperate Rainforests of Southwest England…a short documentary. “Few people realise, but Britain is a rainforest nation. In the wettest, westernmost regions of England, temperate rainforest exists in quiet, secluded isolation. Once part of much larger diverse forest ecosystem, the temperate rainforests that survive in southwest England today are fragmented and isolated from one another but are nonetheless stunningly beautiful and ecologically remarkable. They are often found in deep valleys, cliff edges and estuaries and they occupy less than 1% of the land.”

8. Some good tree news: Elm Trees Return to the English Countryside. “The majestic elm tree, once a quintessential part of the British countryside, is beginning to make a comeback thanks to a new project supported by ITF. Elm trees were all but wiped out by Dutch elm disease in the 1960s and 1970s. But now, The Conservation Foundation is planting saplings in Sussex propagated from mature elm trees which appear to have been disease-free for 40 years. Read more about this project in the latest Trees Journal.”

9. And this, from last week: The Western Forest, a huge new national forest stretching from the Cotswolds to the Mendips is set to be created, the Government has announced today, Friday 21 March 2025, led by the Forest of Avon.

• The first ‘national forest’ in more than 30 years spanning Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and West of England (Bristol, Bath & NE Somerset, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset).

• In its first five years, the new national forest will plant at least 2,500 hectares of new woodland and other tree habitats, with 20 million trees to be planted by 2050.

10. Finally, 5x15 presents: Trees, Live at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Wednesday, May 14th. Tickets here. This should be good.

Along with Elif Shafak, Tristan Gooley is the award-winning and international bestselling author of titles such as The Walker's Guide to Outdoor Clues and Signs, How to Read Water and How to Read a Tree. Jon Drori is the author of the runaway best-sellers, Around the World In 80 Trees and Around the World in 80 Plants, revealing how the worlds of trees and plants are intricately entwined with our own history, culture and folklore. Esrin Han Esrin, a TED Global speaker, his acclaimed talk, “What’s it like to be a giant sequoia tree?”, explores umwelt—the unique sensory experience of organisms—and humanity’s deep interconnectedness with nature. Kevin Martin is the Head of Tree Collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Have a great weekend, Matt

Film of the week: