Tree News

The new issue of my magazine Tree News is out and about. Published twice a year, this National Geo of the tree world is owned by the Tree Council and has been personally funded for the last five years by Felix Dennis. It is the world's first ever newstand magazine on the subject. Availability is still limited but try your local Borders, Smith's or other newsagents and if they haven't got it holler and tell them they can order it from Seymours. Further sub details etc at www.treenews.org.uk.

Here is the latest Editorial

BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME

Events got deep down and personal when our local council decided to fell possibly the most important tree in our town. In this issue we are publishing our account of what it took to save one tulip tree as an encouragement to tree campaigners around the country to make a difference.

Every week, in towns and cities all over Britain, mature trees are being felled unnecessarily for short-term planning gains, through incompetence, as a result of some misguided restoration scheme, or due to fears over health and safety. Don’t let this happen in your town or neighbourhood. Keep on eye on your local trees – or lose them.

The importance of our urban trees is underlined by the findings of tree hunter Owen Johnson, who discovered a wealth of unrecorded champion trees on an extensive trip round Britain.

The echoes of the tsunami continue to reverberate around the world and trees can help avert the effects of similar disasters in the future. Climate change continues to grab the headlines and trees will be affected. Whether they also provide solutions through carbon sequestration is another matter.

Closer to home, we spotlight the terrible devastation of our traditional orchards but show how many of the survivors are being revitalised through community effort and individual enterprise.

The unusual art and science of arborsculpture – the shaping and grafting of trees in an unsual and artistic manner – caught our eye as did the story of the discovery of that living fossil the Wollemi pine and the extraordinary flora of Soqotra, the Galapagos Islands of the plant world.

Act local, think global and enjoy the issue.

Also includes exclusive interview with Bill Bryson plus articles from Thomas Pakenham and Oliver Rackham.

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