Episodes
Mya-Rose Craig is extraordinary. Known to many as Birdgirl, she travelled far and wide on a quest to see half the world's bird species before her 18th birthday. She's also an environmentalist, diversity activist, writer, speaker and broadcaster - and has an honorary doctorate in science from the University of Bristol.
As well as her birding achievements, we chat about her passion for the natural world and encouraging young people and under-represented communities to connect with it. She also...
Published 10/06/21
We begin our second series by celebrating the benefits and beauty of urban trees with journalist and presenter Adrian Chiles.
In a West London park, he describes how green city spaces and the countryside give him relief from the overstimulation of the capital. We chat too about Adrian's career, and reminisce a little about our good times working together at the BBC in the nineties.
At times both funny and frank, he also touches on his experiences of depression and anxiety, as well as...
Published 07/12/21
Author and illustrator of How to Train Your Dragon and The Wizards of Once, Cressida Cowell is also the current Waterstones Children’s Laureate.
As we get lost in London's Kensington Gardens, she tells us of her passion for trees and nature, reminisces about the wild childhood trips that inspire her stories and praises the power of hope and imagination. She also shares the E.B. White quote she lives her life by and sings an anthem from one of her books!
And don't miss the closing clip of a...
Published 05/17/21
Our guest for this episode, Alastair Campbell, has long recognised the positive impact of the natural world on his mind, body and spirit. While walking on London's Hampstead Heath, the communicator, writer and strategist opens up about his mental health struggles and how green space helps get him through. It's a tough listen at times, but an important topic that many will relate to.
Hear all about his popular 'tree of the day' posts and his sense of nature being a healer, especially...
Published 04/09/21
The idea of glimpsing lions and tigers while walking among trees in the local park may sound fantastical - but that's exactly what lucky Paddy O'Connell does every day. For this episode, the TV and radio presenter takes us along on this exclusive experience, accompanied by Bob the dog.
Paddy enjoys a regular dose of nature thanks to nearby Regent's Park. Home to London Zoo and 'the most special sound in London', the park also has a lake, gardens and about 6,000 trees.
We also discover how...
Published 02/25/21
Do you know the difference between a rainforest and a normal forest? Or which moth looks like a fragment of 1970s carpet? Find out in our latest episode as we call on more staff from around the Trust to share their fascinating stories and favourite woods.
We chat to Laura Shewring, Colin Riley, Paul Mosley and volunteer David Mason about Wales' rainforests and a special ancient wood in Lancashire. There's much praise for magical Hackfall in North Yorkshire, and we talk about how lockdown and...
Published 02/08/21
We meet Clare Nasir, the face of Channel 5 weather and a best-selling author. She shares her views on climate change, weather and being wild about the countryside. She also treats us to a tour of Lindow Common near her home in Cheshire.
It's a special place for Clare. Featuring woods, heathland, peatland and a lake, she admires the small differences in nature every day - something many of us have noticed more during lockdown - as well as the site's important role in capturing carbon...
Published 01/29/21
With lockdown upon us once more, we've chatted to more famous faces - and voices - to help bring you a taste of the great outdoors. In this episode, we meet Kathy Clugston: newsreader, continuity announcer and host of Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time.
She takes us on a foggy winter walk through Belfast's Ormeau Park, where meandering paths lead through hundreds of trees. Having visited for 50 years and grateful to now live nearby, it's a place she finds heartening and bolstering. We also...
Published 01/18/21
Amidst new lockdowns around the UK, we've taken an alternative approach to the latest podcast. Co-hosted by regular guest Ruth Hyde (and puppy Coco), we chat to staff from the Trust to find out more about their fascinating roles and some of their woodland experiences.
Meet Natalie Buttriss, Jane Craven, Justin Milward and Joe Middleton to hear about wacky games in the Forest of Dean, how to develop a new love of nature, an eerie winter woodland walk, writing music inspired by the woods and...
Published 01/11/21
Join Adam and TV historian Dan Snow in the New Forest, one of Dan’s favourite woods and a wonderful place for history. But while history is a huge part of his life, it’s not his only passion. He’s also a self-confessed tree hugger.
His love for the New Forest is clear on our walk. While growing up in London, his family regularly visited the area and he now lives nearby, describing it as a special and nurturing landscape.
Of course, Dan sees many things with a historian’s eyes, but trees are...
Published 12/03/20
The Northern Forest is an ambitious and exciting plan to plant 50 million trees across the North of England. It will transform life for people and wildlife.
During a walk around Smithills near Bolton, City of Trees’ Jess Thompson and Gemma Wren of the National Trust tell us all about it. As we explore the amazing landscape, they explain how they’re involved, what the project means for the North and why our relationship with trees is so important.
We also catch up with Trust CEO Darren...
Published 10/20/20
In another special lockdown episode, Clive Anderson gives us an audio tour of his North London garden. President of the Woodland Trust since 2004, Clive is an award-winning broadcaster and comedy writer and currently hosts Radio 4’s Loose Ends. We gain insight into his passion for nature as he describes the trees from around the world at home in his garden, and the wildlife species that like to visit. Clive mulls over what has happened to London's sparrows, reveals his natural approach to...
Published 06/29/20
With normal podcast recording hampered by lockdown, we visit the trees of Hampstead Heath with Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring and other bestsellers. In this episode, Tracy describes how trees bring her comfort, considers how lockdown has changed our attitudes to nature, introduces us to two trees that are special to her and even climbs up into an old oak to show us a different perspective.
Published 06/08/20
Lockdown has hampered our usual woodland walks, so instead we’re chatting to some well-known personalities about the natural world - their favourite places, memories, hopes for the future and more. First up is journalist and presenter, Steph McGovern, who talks to us about the Avenue of Trees that brought her clarity and solace as a youngster, how attitudes to nature have changed during lockdown, helping her new daughter to appreciate the environment – and fat pigeons!
Published 05/28/20
Join Adam Shaw at one of Mead's tree planting days to find out how young people are leading the transformation of 400 acres of ex coalmining land by planting 250,000 trees.
Published 05/11/20
An enormous, rugged landscape with a variety of valuable habitats and far-reaching views across to Bolton and Manchester, Smithills is an incredible place. Meet Tracey and Vicky, who tell us how the Trust is revitalising its largest site in England, including leaky dams, planting the right trees in the right places and involving the local community at every turn. Volunteers Pete and Alex give us insight into their years at Smithills too, along with fascinating stories of a ghostly horseman,...
Published 04/15/20
Tucked away behind rows of houses just 13 miles from central London, we discover an ancient wood with a fascinating history stretching back to Roman times. Site manager Peter Coles shows us World War II bomb craters, restored heathland, a ‘strong ditch’ built to help keep Roman Londoners out of Saxon Kent, and much more. We also meet the Trust’s Lorienne Whittle and volunteer Greg Tingey, who tell us why tracking the effects of weather and climate change on UK wildlife is so important.
Published 03/20/20
Guided by street tree guru Joe Coles, we explore the trees of Leeds, including Woodhouse Ridge, a pocket of urban woodland, some of Leeds' tree-lined streets and the London plane tree in Dortmund Square. Along the way, we meet Justin Williamson, woodland officer for Leeds City Council, and Dr Catherine Scott from Leeds University to chat about how trees affect air quality, urban trees as wildlife corridors, the benefits of green spaces for people and how cities will become part of the new...
Published 01/15/20
Take a tour of spectacular Ben Shieldaig in Scotland’s West Highlands, the Trust’s first mountain! Made up of ancient birchwood and Caledonian pinewood, it’s a wonderful example of Scotland’s rainforest, brimming with some of the world’s rarest lichens, bryophytes, liverworts and fungi. Explore some of the site’s geology and history, and learn what the Trust has planned for its future.
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Published 12/10/19
We meet David Rose who shows us around his Nottinghamshire farm. He tells us how trees are making a difference both for the farm and for local communities as he aims to promote healthy food and healthy futures. Discover the edible woodland and forest school area, meet people that enjoy visiting the farm and hear from the Trust’s Ruth Hyde and Helen Chesshire who explain that trees are important outside woods as well as in.
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Published 11/13/19
In this episode, Adam explores the wilderness of Loch Arkaig Pine Forest - one of Scotland's remaining fragments of native Caledonian pinewood. It lies within an iconic landscape of sparkling lochs fringed by mountains, full of rare wildlife and flora. Over land and loch Adam meets site manager Steve Morris, raptor expert Lewis Pate, project manager Jessica Maxwell and other custodians of this truly astonishing landscape.
Published 07/19/19
In this first episode, Adam explores Heartwood - a vast new forest of more than half a million trees, pockets of ancient woodland, wildflower meadows and fantastic wildlife. Adam is joined on his travels by Beccy Speight, Chief Executive of the Woodland Trust, along with Tim Wright and Brian Legg, some of the amazing volunteers who’ve had a huge hand in creating England's largest new native woodland.
Published 05/15/19