Into the woods: finding the cows among the trees

Rachel Harries is the Forestry Commission’s Marketing and Communications Manager. For this month's 'Into the woods' blog, she writes about the role cattle play in her local woodland.
Rachel Harries is the Forestry Commission’s Marketing and Communications Manager. For this month's 'Into the woods' blog, she writes about the role cattle play in her local woodland.
Paul Brannen is the Director of Public Affairs at the Confederation of Timber Industries and author of Timber! How wood can help save the world from climate breakdown (Agenda Publishing 2024). Here he explains the need for home-grown softwood and hardwood timber for an expanding bioeconomy.
Chris Watson, Forestry Commission Woodland Resilience Advisor, looks at the effects of prolonged hot and dry weather on trees and what you can do to help them survive.
David Bliss, CEO at the Lowther Estate, shares how the estate converted low-value farmland into woodlands that deliver income, support nature and support their agricultural enterprises.
Robin Gray, Landscape and Woodland Design Advisor at the Forestry Commission, explains why consultation is needed, how it benefits you and outlines key considerations for an effective consultation.
It is not always possible to see tree pests and diseases, and they spread easily in soil or organic material carried on footwear, clothing, and bike tyres. Find out what you can do to help prevent their introduction and spread.
Rachel Bates and Russell Critchley are Woodland Biodiversity Advisors at the Small Woods Association. In this guest blog they reveal how a five-year project is enhancing biodiversity in woodlands in England and Wales.
Mark Broadmeadow, Head of Climate Change at the Forestry Commission, shares his thoughts on whether woodland creation should always avoid the best and most versatile agricultural land.
Emily Robinson, Content Officer at the Forestry Commission, shares some woodland ground flora that can be found at this time of year and what they reveal about the woodland environment.
Ten years have passed since ash dieback was first detected in the Peak District Dales Special Area of Conservation. In this guest blog, Katie Brownbill introduces the LIFE in the Ravines project, which is leading the area’s woodland restoration efforts.