Oaklore

"A joyful and imaginative exploration of these totemic trees."-Tristan Gooley, author of How to Read a Tree

The perfect gift for nature lovers and bookworms alike, Oaklore unveils how the mighty oak tree has shaped and influenced English literature, culture, and history.

A charming and whimsical exploration of one of England's most important trees, Oaklore invites readers to embark on a journey of discovery, unveiling the role of oaks in English literature and mythology, and the myriad of life that thrives within the branches and bark of these ancient trees: from the feathered denizens to the intricate communities of insects, fungi, and lichens.

British environmentalist and writer Jules Acton skillfully weaves together her personal experiences of wandering in the woods, scientific insights, and cultural histories to paint a rich, folkloric, and multifaceted portrait of the magnificent specimen. From learning to recognize bird songs to observing the moss and butterflies that thrive in the presence of oaks, Acton encourages a deeper connection during our own woodland explorations and celebrates the enchanted realms of oak trees.

Above all, Oaklore underscores the urgent need to protect the oak tree and the vibrant, interconnected worlds it sustains. Acton's narrative serves as a call to action, inspiring readers to engage in conservation efforts and foster a deeper appreciation for the oak's vital role in the delicate web of life.

Autorentext

Jules Acton – whose surname means ‘oak town’ – can trace her love of nature back to childhood. A former journalist, she has worked for the Woodland Trust, The Wildlife Trusts and WaterAid. She lives near Sherwood Forest, Nottinghamshire, with her husband, Toby, and rescue dog, Pepe. This is her first book.

Klappentext

"A joyful and imaginative exploration of these totemic trees."—Tristan Gooley, author of How to Read a Tree

The perfect gift for nature lovers and bookworms alike, Oaklore unveils how the mighty oak tree has shaped and influenced English literature, culture, and history.

A charming and whimsical exploration of one of England’s most important trees, Oaklore invites readers to embark on a journey of discovery, unveiling the role of oaks in English literature and mythology, and the myriad of life that thrives within the branches and bark of these ancient trees: from the feathered denizens to the intricate communities of insects, fungi, and lichens.

British environmentalist and writer Jules Acton skillfully weaves together her personal experiences of wandering in the woods, scientific insights, and cultural histories to paint a rich, folkloric, and multifaceted portrait of the magnificent specimen. From learning to recognize bird songs to observing the moss and butterflies that thrive in the presence of oaks, Acton encourages a deeper connection during our own woodland explorations and celebrates the enchanted realms of oak trees.

Above all, Oaklore underscores the urgent need to protect the oak tree and the vibrant, interconnected worlds it sustains. Acton's narrative serves as a call to action, inspiring readers to engage in conservation efforts and foster a deeper appreciation for the oak's vital role in the delicate web of life.

Zusammenfassung
The perfect gift for nature lovers and bookworms alike, Oaklore unveils how the mighty oak tree has shaped and influenced English literature, culture, and history.

Leseprobe

Chapter One - Doorways to Other Worlds

Beginning with the Birds
Oak trees, so folklore tells us, are doorways to other worlds. Other worlds held quite an appeal during a Covid-infested winter while our own world was coughing, spluttering and grinding its way to a halt.

So it was that my dog friend, Pepe, and I found ourselves in the heart of Sherwood Forest on a misty February morning when the world was in turmoil. The day was warming up. The year was waking up. I was embarking on a quest to discover more about the mystery and magic of oaks and the doors they can open up for us.

A great tit chimed like a tiny bell, high up in an oak branch. Blue tits lisped along in tinselly harmony and a gang of long-tailed tits, which sounded like they were unzipping anoraks, added a light percussion. They buzzed to the beat of the night-fallen rain, which now dripped heavily, steadily from the tips of the trees.

Out of the blue, a drum roll. A great spotted woodpecker burst onto the sound scene with its battering blast, the woodland's answer to Phil Collins. I sought out the feathery musician, peering up into misty treetops through muscular tree limbs that reached into the milky haze and tapered on and up and out into fine, fingery twigs.

Suddenly we had a glimpse of the drummer bird, uniformed as it was in smart black, white and red. For its instrument it had chosen something perfectly percussive: a thick, dead oaken branch that clawed, antler-like, from the tree.

The sight and sound of this creature gave me a little bird-fuelled lift. It made the journey worthwhile; more than worthwhile, in fact: a delight. I had wanted to see some nearby woodpeckers because of the special role they play in nature, but we were in one of those pandemic periods when we weren't allowed to meet in groups, so I couldn't just take myself down to the nearby visitor centre to ask where I should look. Instead, I phoned the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB), which manages the site, and got hold of Carl Cornish, conservation officer. Carl patiently explained the way over the phone: 'go past The Bee Tree, up to The Major Oak, head out past The Medusa Oak . . .' All instructions should sound like this, I thought, as if you are a character in The Lord of the Rings and Gandalf is sending you off to a new, strange world, one of which you have heard fantastical tales, to find something precious. In a great many ways, that was indeed the case.

This being February, woodpeckers seemed good companions with whom to begin an adventure exploring the life in and around oak trees. I had heard their drumming is intense around January to April. And, fittingly, like oak trees, woodpeckers are homemakers, providing accommodation to all sorts of other creatures by filling trees with little holes, cavities in which those other creatures set up house.

Of the 2,300 species that are supported by oak trees in one way or another, many, I had learned, enjoy a woodpecker nook. They include other birds, bees, wasps and the red-listed (i.e. threatened) Bechstein's bat. Later I was to go on up to peep through some of these creatures' doorways and find out more about their lives, but first I felt compelled to linger a while to get to know woodpecker world a little, mainly because I'd fallen a little in love with woodpeckers. Woodpeckers, it turns out, are amazing.

Woodpeckers are musicians. They are carpenters. They have been called tree surgeons and guardians of the forest. Their importance in nature is reflected in their status as a 'keystone species' and 'umbrella species'; essentially, they support other beings that, in turn, help them to exist. They have inspired stories, poetry and even the design of bicycle crash helmets. Actually, the latter might ha

Inhalt

1. Doorways to Other Worlds
   
   2. Wasps, Words and Oakspirations
   3. Crowning Glories
   4. Life, Death and Beetling About
   5. Enchanted Forests: Folklore, Myth and Magic
   6. Incredible Edibles: Health and Healing
   7. Threats: Could a Beauty Be a Beast?
   8. The Oak's Little Helpers. And Its Big Helpers.
      Conclusion

Some Fun Stuff

Acknowledgements

Endnotes

Bibliography

Index