Autumn 2007

Howl Winds, Howl

 The past is littered with ‘memory cairns’. Most people can instantly describe where they were when they heard of the deaths of Elvis or Diana. The Great Storm of 1987 is just as iconic for any tree lover. We remember the sense of shock as we stared at a landscape strewn with smashed and upended trees, while the press gloomily pronounced totted up the cost in money and priceless landscapes ruined forever. 

As Oliver Bullough discovers, however, a generation later tree lovers can celebrate the Great Storm’s legacy.  It may have toppled some 15 million trees across the south east, but in doing so it not only opened up the landscape, but it revolutionised our attitudes to forest management. Owners became much less interventionist and more inclined to let nature take its course, for example, and the devastation also spawned the Tree Council’s supremely successful tree warden scheme.
» More

Pig of an Issues

Wild boar were exterminated from our shores 500 years ago, but have returned with a vengeance. Around 1,000 now roam our woods. Conservationists are celebrating the return of the native, but as Kate Langrish explains, their presence brings new challenges for woodland owners.
» More

Britain’s Bonsai Woods

Hedges have been described as ‘framing the landscape’ and ‘woods in miniature’. These are vital habitats which link our remaining woodland fragments, allowing wildlife the food and cover they need to move across exposed farmland. Yet they are manmade constructs and require care and attention to stay healthy. Molly Barnes meets one of the dying breed of craftsmen who know how to breathe life back into these living barriers.
» More

Get those missing issues of  Tree News... Now!

HIf you’ve got gaps in your collection of Tree News, or is you’re new to the magazine and want to catch up on what you missed, you can now order back issues for just £3.95, including post and packing..
» More