Episode 29: Exploring Scotland’s Diverse Tree Species - A Glimpse Into The Country’s Arboreal Riches

Scotland, known for its rugged landscapes, misty lochs and ancient castles, also boasts a rich diversity of tree species that contribute to its unique and picturesque scenery. From the iconic Caledonian pine forests to the delicate rowans scattered across the highlands, Scotland’s trees are an integral part of its natural heritage, besides playing a crucial role in the country’s ecology. But what are these trees and what are they called? Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/08/26/exploring-scotlands-diverse-tree-species-a-glimpse-into-the-countrys-arboreal-riches/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Here’s a reflection from our Kenyan team on International Day of Forests this year. We mark this day in March by creating awareness of the importance of creating new and conserving existing forests. During this day everyone is encouraged to undertake activities involving forests by highlighting the importance of ecosystems in the fight against climate change. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/08/09/international-day-of-forests/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Permaculture – the idea of living lightly on the planet – has been around for half a century. For some, it’s a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living. For those living in countries devastated by climate change, it can be the difference between life and death. In this series of three articles, we explore the 12 permaculture principles and how the communities in Kenya are using permaculture to live securely on the land. Part 1 and Part 2 cover the principles of permaculture. This part describes the challenges the communities in Kenya face and how Word Forest is supporting them as they develop permaculture practices to survive and thrive. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/08/02/permaculture-principles-and-practice-part-3/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Permaculture – the idea of living lightly on the planet – has been around for half a century. For some, it’s a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living. For those living in countries devastated by climate change, it can be the difference between life and death. In this series of three articles, we explore the 12 permaculture principles and how the communities in Kenya are using permaculture to live securely on the land. This part covers the second six principles. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/07/26/permaculture-principles-and-practice-part-2/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Permaculture – the idea of living lightly on the planet – has been around for half a century. For some, it’s a sustainable and environmentally friendly way of living. For those living in countries devastated by climate change, it can be the difference between life and death.In this series of three articles, we explore the 12 principles of permaculture and how the communities in Kenya are using permaculture to live securely on the land. In this article, we introduce the origins of permaculture and the first six principles, which focus on the bottom-up perspective of elements, organisms and individuals. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/07/19/permaculture-principles-and-practice/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

This lovely article from our Kenyan colleague shows how women’s lives are being transformed through education and empowerment. Thank you to all our supporters for facilitating this work. "Behind every great woman in Kenya, there is another great woman!..." Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/07/12/the-strength-of-a-woman/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Trees have long been revered by the Celtic peoples for their wisdom, and used as crafting materials and even for their healing properties. It is no wonder that they are often so central to the stories that have carried through the ages and are described in such great detail despite their perceived simplicity. In this series we will explore native UK species and their place in the great tales of Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Cornwall, the Isle of Man and beyond. Today is the summer solstice, a time associated with light and the banishing of demons and evil spirits. The Celts believed that the sun’s intense heat would burn away darkness and open the path to the abundance and wealth of the summer and harvest months. It is also a time associated with one tree related story in particular: the ever raging battle between the kings of holly and oak. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/06/21/trees-and-their-place-in-celtic-mythology/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Over the past 18 months, our Permaculture Teaching Centre in Garashi has made a significant positive impact on tree planting communities across rural Kenya. Its very existence has proved to be an absolute blessing, strengthening our ability to reforest the country and mitigate our global climate crisis. However, having a great educational establishment is one thing; having access to reliable data and communications is quite another. Digital communications, particularly across rural Kenya, are deteriorating due to several factors, including frequent power outages, ageing infrastructure, bandwidth limitations and connectivity problems caused by extreme weather events. We’ve identified three essential steps to solving this problem. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/06/13/abc-fundraiser-for-digital-data-will-save-lives/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

This is a lovely article by Cyprian Ogoti, environmental journalist and passionate conservationist in Kenya, about why inclusivity is important and the difference supporting women as well as men can make. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/05/24/support-for-women-in-conservation/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/

Our Special Scientific Advisor, Professor Bill McGuire recently penned an article for The Guardian. As shocking to the core as it is, we are delighted to reproduce it verbatim with Bill’s kind permission.  We hope it nudges you to take more responsibility for the precarious situation the planet is in meteorologically and climatically. Read this article here: wordforest.org/2024/04/19/46c-summer-days-and-supercell-storms-are-britains-future-and-now-is-our-last-chance-to-prepare/ Donate to our fight against the climate crisis here: ⁠wordforest.org/donate/