The Meaning of Trees Podcast

Wyl Menmuir is the award-winning author of The Heart of the Woods, a book uncovering our deep cultural associations with trees and the traditional crafts and rituals that continue to bind us to them today. Tom and Wyl meet up at the Ankerwycke yew to chat about the legendary Green Man, discuss Wyl’s reflections on ancient forest cultures in Japan and get to the bottom of why he undertook a planned...

Dr Cecilia Chavana-Bryant grew up amongst the urban sprawl of Monterrey, Mexico's 2nd largest city, before a fascination with trees inspired a career studying rainforest canopies in Brazil, Peru, Guyana and Australia. Tom and Cecilia delve into memories of her long bus trips spent looking for green space as a child, the exotic forest wildlife she's met in her research and how she became...

Sir Harry Studholme is a former Forestry Commission Chair, Honorary Treasurer of the Devon County Agricultural Association, owner of an historic family estate and an avid researcher of prehistoric forest activity. Tom and Harry enjoy a wide-ranging chat that takes in an interglacial safari, the formation of the Forestry Commission, the worrying existential threat posed by climate change and elepha...

Cheryl Silvawood began her conservation career as a photo journalist in South East Asia, travelling the world to study remote and awe-inspiring habitats before uncovering a love for ancient and veteran trees in the UK. Tom and Cheryl delve into her childhood memories of parks and urban wildlife encounters in Singapore, the origins of her tree-inspired blog - @inalandofgiants - and her hopes for th...

Mick Diplock lost his sight more than 20 years ago, but the pure joy he gets from running amongst trees has never left him. In this episode, Tom investigates how Mick forged a lifelong affection for woods and the great outdoors, how going blind in mid-life changed his relationship with every aspect of the world around him and how he's still crossing the finish line at the great age of 80. Fin...

Liba Ravindran is a London based Community Organiser, climate justice activist and tree-loving poet of Sri Lankan heritage. In this heartfelt interview, we explore Liba's work to support marginalised communities within the UK, the difference in western and global majority mindsets when it comes to thinking about the natural environment and the fundamental role trees continue to play in so man...

Jill Butler has spent a lifetime fighting for better protection of ancient and veteran trees in the UK as a long-time ambassador for the Woodland Trust and Ancient Tree Forum. We discuss how old trees are integral to our cultural and natural heritage, how many irreplaceable trees remain under threat from human developments and the inspiration she's gleaned from like-minded tree activists arou...

Kevin Martin is Head of Tree Collections at the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and is leading a cutting-edge climate modelling project to predict the fate of Kew's trees come 2090, if temperatures continue to rise. Tom and Kevin discuss his memories of following his dad around as a tree surgeon, his travels around the world to study exotic forest habitats and what his wife makes of his lifelong mi...

Anita Prasad-Willems is a Brighton-based wellbeing counsellor and therapist that depends on trees to keep her rooted and grounded in life. Tom and Anita discuss her work to help others connect with Mother Earth, the otherworldly realms she's encountered through her meditation practices, the simple benefits of spending time around trees and how to tell if a podcast is AI generated. Find links...

Martin Hügi is Senior Conservation Advisor at the Woodland Trust and known more widely as the Ancient Tree Pilgrim because in spring 2023 he set off on foot from Lands End to John O' Groats to meet more than 2000 of the UK's oldest and most majestic trees. In this episode, Tom and Martin discuss the origins of his sacred solo mission, the reverence he holds for ancient trees and how his...

Mo Wilde is an author, foraging expert and ethnobotanist living in West Lothian, Scotland. Tom and Mo discuss the radical Wildbiome experiment she led in partnership with ZOE in 2020 where she survived solely on wild foraged food for an entire year to test the effects on her gut microbiome and they chat about her early memories of trees in Kenya, modern food production and Mo’s personal insights i...

Tom Burns is Ranger and Woodsman at Knepp Wildlands, a pioneering rewilding project and a leading light for nature recovery in the UK. In this episode, guest Tom takes us on a virtual safari of Knepp to encounter the best of its wildlife, tackles some of the most common misconceptions surrounding the rewilding approach, speaks about his urban upbringing and shares what being a Ranger is all about....

Rosie Heydenrych is founder of the Turnstone Guitar Company, making beautiful guitars by hand at her workshop in the Ashdown Forest. Tom and Rosie chat about the history of her craft, listen to the beautiful tones made by different timbers and discuss how she's adopting locally grown timbers in place of critically endangered tropical hardwoods. Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast c...

John Deakin is Head of Trees & Woodland for National Trust, Europe's largest natural and cultural heritage conservation charity. In this episode, Tom and John discuss the aftermath of the Sycamore Gap incident, the Trust's ambitious plans to establish 20 million new trees by 2030, his memories of yew trees growing up and why active and considered woodland management are essential to...

Ever thought-provoking, Ted Green is a name synonymous with the world of ancient trees and he remains a Crown Estate Conservation Adviser at 89 years old. Tom and Ted discuss the way that trees transport us back in time, Ted recalls how the oaks at Windsor have kept him going since his father went missing in World War 2 and he shares his theories on seed dispersal and the idea that humans are anim...

Dr Amy Cardinal Christianson is a wildfire researcher for the Canadian Forest Service and a woman of indigenous Métis heritage with a life-long appreciation for trees and forest ecosystems. Tom introduces series 1 of the podcast before he and Amy discuss the rise of forest fire evacuations in North America and she shares her personal insights into the age-old land stewardship practices the Métis p...