London plane trees should take their place alongside other London particulars like red buses, odd skyscrapers and unpredictable weather.
Over the last two years, I’ve been researching, and writing up, accounts of great trees in Britain and Ireland. I’m very relieved to say that I’ve finally completed this task, and the manuscript is now with the publishers.
The New Edition of London is a Forest is more than just a makeover: it has been fully revised and updated, and contains a brand new seventh urban forest trail.
I’m very excited to have been commissioned to write a book about the great urban trees of Britain and Ireland. Research is underway and, hopefully, I’ll be travelling all over these islands to see as many of its great trees as I can over the coming months.
In the first post, I wrote about how my lockdown urban nature rambles turned into my new book, London Tree Walks: Arboreal Ambles Through the Green Metropolis. Lockdown allowed me to really get to know parts of the city near where I live in north London, and as the rules eased, I ventured further afield, mostly on two wheels, and occasionally on public transport, allowing me to get to the tropics of Acton, Fulham, Pimlico, and beyond.
During Lockdown 1.0, I spent as much time as I could outdoors. Like many, I found it gave me an opportunity to appreciate nature on my doorstep even more than usual. Combined with a beautiful spring and the dramatic reduction in pollution, it seemed especially piquant. My lockdown urban nature explorations turned into a project which came to fruition in October with the publication of my new book, London Tree Walks: Arboreal Ambles Through the Green Metropolis.
A few months ago, I heard the strange tale of an oak tree in Ealing which marks the spot where an elephant is buried. I realised I had to find out more, so off to Ealing I went…
It’s been a busy few weeks in the tree publishing world. Hot on the heels of virtually launching the Great Trees of London map last week, last night was the official launch of the fully revised edition of London’s Street Trees.
On Saturday, I made my second foray into live video presentations with the virtual launch of the Great Trees of London Map, recently published by Blue Crow Media.
I’m very pleased to announce that a new, expanded and fully revised edition of London’s Street Trees has been published by Safe Haven!