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The wood for the trees : the long view of nature from a small wood / Richard Fortey.

by Fortey, Richard A.

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William Collins, 2016.

Forest ecology -- England -- Chiltern Hills.

Natural history -- Great Britain.

Human ecology -- Great Britain.

9780008104665 (hc.)

xiii, 306 p., 16 unnumbered pages of plates : ill. (black and white, and colour) ; 24 cm.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

"A small patch of beech-and bluebell woodland, buried deeply in the Chiltern Hills of south-east England. Drawing upon a lifetime of scientific expertise and abiding love of nature, Fortey uses this small wood to tell a wider story of the ever-changing British landscape, human influence on the countryside over many centuries and the vital interactions between flora, fauna and fungi. The trees provide a majestic stage for woodland animals and plants to reveal their own stories in this interwoven collection of different habitats rich in species. The author's attention ranges from the beech and cherry trees that dominate the wood to the flints underfoot; the red kites and woodpeckers that soar overhead; the lichens, mosses and liverworts decorating the branches as well as the myriad species of spiders, moths, beetles and crane-flies. The 300 species of fungi identified in the wood capture his attention as much as familiar deer, shrews and dormice. Fortey is a naturalist who believes that all organisms are as interesting as human beings - and certainly more important than the observer. So this book is a close examination of nature and human history. The book is filled with details of living animals and plants, charting the passage of the seasons, visits by fellow enthusiasts; the play of light between branches; the influence of geology; and how woodland influences history, architecture and industry. On every page he shows how an intimate study of one small wood can reveal so much about the natural world and demonstrates his relish for the incomparable pleasures of discovery"--Provided by publisher.

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