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Trees woods and wildlife

Brown long-eared bat

Known as the 'whispering' bat for its almost silent echolocation noises, this little bat's huge ears make it an expert woodland insect hunter.

Trees woods and wildlife

Long-eared owl

Wise and regal, with an imposing stare and elusive nature. Our most nocturnal owl, with a penchant for recycling other bird’s old nests. It lives in dense woodland and is a skilful hunter.

Blog

How long do spiders live? And other spider facts

Discover more about spiders like how long they live, how many eyes they have, how big UK species can grow and more.

Rachel Hoskins  •  09 Sep 2019

Blog

8 steps to achieving long-term mindfulness with woods and trees

Explore some woodland activities that you can take part in to gain positive health benefits.

Julia Lock  •  22 Mar 2022

Trees woods and wildlife

Long-tailed tit

Flying balls of fluff. These tiny woodland dwellers have a strong claim to be considered the UK’s cutest bird.

Blog

The oldest tree in the UK: how long do trees live?

Discover the oldest tree in the UK - and the world - and why ancient trees are so important.

Charlie Mellor  •  29 Jan 2024

About us

Our president

Clive Anderson has been our president for more than 10 years, having taken a long interest in the problems facing the natural world and trees in particular.

Trees woods and wildlife

St Mark’s fly

A long-legged fly you can tell the time by – well, the time of year. St Mark’s flies emerge en-masse around 25 April each year.

Trees woods and wildlife

Chestnut, sweet

Introduced by the Romans and a roasted winter treat. These long-lived giants, with their prickly-husks and deeply grooved bark, give us our classic Christmas nut.

Plant trees

Managing your new woodland

Woodland management requires long term planning. Learn about the observations and actions needed over a wood’s lifetime.

Support us

Dedications

Be it a single tree or an acre of woodland with a personalised bench, your dedication will provide a long-lasting tribute that can be visited time after time – and support local wildlife too.

Trees woods and wildlife

Devil’s coach horse beetle

Jet-black with an even darker reputation. The devil’s coach horse has long been associated with sinister forces. In reality, it is only other invertebrates that have cause to fear this voracious predator.

Trees woods and wildlife

Wild service tree

A true springtime stunner, it’s not so long ago that you could find wild-service fruit at a market. These days it’s rare and hard to find but it’s still a favourite with wildlife like the wood pigeon, whose gut softens its seeds for propagation.

Trees woods and wildlife

Mayfly

Known for its short adult life, the mayfly is here for a good time, not a long time. Emerging between May and August, it dances above freshwater rivers and lakes to find a mate.

Protecting trees and woods

How to object to a planning application

If you are opposing a development threat to a wood or tree, you will need to make an objection in writing to the local planning authority.

Video

Restoring Craggach Wood to a productive and diverse native woodland

David Shepherd and Annie Griffiths own Craggach Wood near Inverness. They share the inspirational story of how they transformed a long-established woodland of plantation origin into a biologically and structurally diverse productive native woodland.

00:03:37

Trees woods and wildlife

Chiffchaff

A dainty warbler named after its song. Chiffchaffs are increasingly taking advantage of the UK’s warming climate by staying here all year long.

Trees woods and wildlife

Atlantic salmon

A fish with a harsh life and epic journey. They’ve long been a favoured seafood, but over-fishing and pollution have seriously impacted populations.

Trees woods and wildlife

Ivy

Clingy, luscious, misunderstood. Ivy has long been accused of strangling trees, but it doesn’t harm the tree at all, and even supports at least 50 species of wildlife.