The Medicinal Properties Of Trees
Herbs, trees and spices have been used by healers since ancient times. Human settlements have often been surrounded by plants used for medicinal purposes. In Sumeria, for instance, hundreds of medicinal plants including myrrh and opium were recorded around 3000 BC. There is an Egyptian Papyrus listing more than 800 plant medicines such as aloe, […]
Take A Moment With A Tree
There is a growing body of scientific evidence that supports what we already know on a primal level – that being out in nature is good for us and that forests and trees have a positive effect on us in multiple ways. I notice that when I step among trees, my breathing slows and deepens […]
Trees And Story
The link between humans and trees is ancient and deep. Trees have always been and will always be vital to our existence. It’s easy to see how on a physical level; they produce the oxygen we breathe and facilitate rainfall, soil quality and biodiversity as well as providing commodities that allow us to feed, clothe […]
Simon West interviews Prof. Bill McGuire on the future of climate activism
As part of our Trees Are The Key Awareness Week 2022, our Managing Director Simon West interviewed Professor Bill McGuire on the future of climate activism. What options do we have? Where are we headed? What needs to happen now?
How Trees Lock In Carbon
Trees release oxygen and absorb carbon dioxide, as if they breathe in the opposite way humans do. They do this through photosynthesis, a process in which light energy from the sun is converted into chemical energy, some of which is then stored as carbohydrates (e.g. sugars and starches). During daylight hours, pores called stomata on […]
Trees I Have Known And Loved
It was in my grandparents’ garden, nestled on the hillside of a Welsh coal-mining village, where I first fell in love with a tree. That garden was a perfect playground for running, playing mock battles and games of hide-and-seek with my younger sister and cousins. Much of it had been turned over to vegetables, but […]
Book Review: Goldilocks by Laura Lam
There are a lot of testimonials at the start of Goldilocks, one of Laura Lam’s 21 books. They say things like “Grabs your attention from the first page” and “An absolutely stunning and compelling story”, plus my favourite “If The Martian and The Handmaid’s Tale had a book baby, this… would be the incredible result”. […]
Assessing China’s ‘Green Wall’: Lessons To The World On Afforestation
The winds of the Gobi desert are fierce and engulfing, advancing swiftly from the northern regions of China and sweeping south into the heart of the country. With it, fertile land, towns and entire communities are being consumed by the large swathes of sand, with an estimated 400 million people being affected [1]. This process, […]
Celebrating The Art Of Kerry Johnstone
Welcome to the beautiful work of artist Kerry Johnstone. Kerry has very kindly offered a donation to The Word Forest Organisation from the sale of her ‘Trees Are The Key’ series of pictures and we were intrigued to find out a little bit about her and her creative process. Kerry reminds me that Picasso said […]