From Living Woods Issue 50 Woodland owner DUNCAN DAVIDSON is inspired by the long-term study of Lady Park Wood. WOODLAND DEVELOPMENT: A LONG-TERM STUDY OF LADY PARK WOOD George F. Peterken and Edward P. Mountford CAB International, 2017 302 pages with colour illustrations ISBN 978-1780648651   This book is about an unmanaged, ancient wood in…

From Living Woods Issue 50 CLARE GIBSON enjoys the arboreal and the artistic in this wide-ranging and beautifully illustrated survey of trees in art. TREES IN ART Charles Watkins Reaktion Books 256 pages 203 illustrations, 201 in colour ISBN 978-1-780239-309   No coffee-table book this, all flashy pictures and minimal text, which is not to…

From Living Woods Issue 50 Londoner ANGUS HANTON reviews Ghost Trees, which he thinks will be as ‘popular as the poplars in Poplar’. GHOST TREES Nature and People in a London Parish Bob Gilbert Saraband Books ISBN 978-1912235278   Bob Gilbert was parachuted into Poplar in the East End of London because his wife Jane…

From Living Woods issue 39 Not Just for Woodies Norwegian Wood: Chopping, Stacking and Drying Wood the Scandinavian Way by Lars Mytting MacLehose Press Review by Angus Hanton   If men have two big secrets – porn and firewood – this book has at least given them permission to talk openly about the latter and…

Dirk Sporleder: Woodland management services in NE Scotland Dirk studied forestry in Germany (at the University of Applied Forest Sciences Rottenburg am Neckar, Baden Württemberg) and graduated as an Engineer for Forestry. His degree focused almost entirely on Continuous Cover Forestry. Since moving to Scotland in 2007, Dirk has planned and implemented the Perthshire Coppice…

From Living Woods issue 51 DAN WATSON is inspired by a treasure trove of green woodworking ideas SHAVING HORSES, LAP SHAVES, AND OTHER WOODLAND VICES Sean Hellman Crafty Little Press 130 pages 400 colour illustrations ISBN 978-0993186110 RRP £16.95 I have been coppicing and carrying out woodland crafts for over 20 years, spending a considerable…

From Living Woods issue 52 Combining war studies and woodlands, this book focuses on a forgotten army of the Second World War. LUMBERJILLS: BRITAIN’S FORGOTTEN ARMY JOANNA FOAT The History Press Paperback: 272 pages RRP: £14.99 ISBN: 978-0750990905 In 1939, when conscription sucked up most able-bodied men, and at a time when Britain was almost…

From Living Woods issue 52 MATT LARSEN-DAW immerses himself in the world of the plant hunters of the 19th century GREEN GOLD The Epic True Story of Victorian Plant Hunter John Jeffrey GABRIEL HEMERY Unbound Digital Paperback: 302 pages RRP: £8.99 ISBN: 978-1789650235 An epistolary novel about the life and times of a Victorian botanist…

From Living Woods issue 52 ‘Geography lessons have never been so exciting, personal or terrifying.’ JOHNNY MORRIS relishes Robert Macfarlane’s wide-ranging journey through the worlds beneath our feet UNDERLAND ROBERT MACFARLANE Hamish Hamilton Hardback 496 Pages RRP: £20.00 ISBN: 978-0241143803 Three-quarters of the way through Robert Macfarlane’s dazzling book, he recounts a conversation with Robert…

From Living Woods issue 52 JUDITH MILLIDGE enjoys a celebration of craftsmanship FORGE AND CARVE Heritage Crafts: The search for well-being and sustainability in the modern world Canopy Press Hardback: 320 pages RRP: £24.99 ISBN: 978-1909414655 What do a coracle-maker, a broom-maker and knifemaker have in common? Answer: they are all practitioners of traditional crafts…

From Living Woods issue 53 ‘Think global, act local’ – ANGUS HANTON is inspired by the energy saving tips and advice in converting your home to renewable energy THE RENEWABLE ENERGY HOME HANDBOOK Lindsay Porter Veloce Publishing Hardback 192 pages £24.99 ISBN 978-1845847593 You may think that YouTube is totally taking over from more traditional…

From Living Woods issue 53 PROFESSOR JULIAN EVANS reviews a commemorative history of the Forestry Commission BRITISH FORESTS: THE FORESTRY COMMISSION 1919-2019 Profile Books Ltd Hardback 256 pages £25 ISBN 978-1788163132 Celebrating the Forestry Commission’s centenary always required a book and what is on offer is an interesting compendium. It is in three parts: history,…