The Meaning of Trees Podcast

Bianca Thomas is a climbing arborist whose sole purpose in life has become to learn and gather wisdom from trees, following an ayahuasca induced epiphany that she’s never looked back from. 

In this end of season special with a final twist, Bianca tells Tom why trees have become her most trusted of guides since leaving behind a career in molecular biology, how her newfound partners are connecting her to an ever-expanding network of other tree inspired people and why the margins of conversation where science, spirituality and human storytelling intersect are providing by far the most reliable sources of curiosity.

Watch this interview on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/_t0AcTWN9gc

Read more about how Bianca turned to trees here: https://arbortec.com/blogs/news/tree-surgeon-uk-a-woman-s-path-to-arboriculture?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAad1NrSma1yL5GVAj5pcrlsn5qddJvgE8JNlNlf3rmK630RlvNyE68ckt3a3uA_aem_ODqkuzzGzUzUMMTnb_0C6A

Check out Bianca’s YouTube channel and go deeper into her story of personal connection with all things arboreal here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbr51I6t0Zkks4sUcVXwqtA

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees content and episodes here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

TEDx speaker, Simon Ferrar, is founder and creator of Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground, a multi award winning nature reserve where people are laid to rest sustainably, in harmony with natural processes. 

Tom gets Simon's thoughts on how trees are like silent watchers over our lives, learns about the ancient burial practices coming back to life at Clandon Wood and asks for advice on how best to plan for his own death one day.

Find out more about Clandon Wood Natural Burial Ground here - https://www.clandonwood.com/

See Simon's TEDx Talk here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HHwBH_fWSI

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Sarah Dodd is CEO and founder of the UK’s first and only law firm specialising solely in tree-specific legal and protection issues. 

With the dust still settling after the Sycamore Gap trial, Tom gets Sarah’s expert opinion on exactly where this world famous case now leaves us, what might have motivated those who felled the iconic tree that night and how likely a similar event might be tomorrow.

Learn more about Sarah’s firm, Tree Law, here:  https://www.treelaw.co.uk/

Check out the recording of Sarah's 2025 Tree Law conference here: https://youtu.be/9GelfB7sOY4?si=9a57O4Y_bD0wUpu5

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Jim Mulholland is a bat and veteran tree specialist with a knack for leaving a big impression in the expert talks and training courses he delivers.

In this wide-ranging interview, recorded at Savernake Forest, Tom and Jim cover everything from bat poo, bat discos and Batman to neurodiversity in the scientific communities Jim is a part of and why Die Hard's opening scene is something we could all learn a thing or two from.

Sign up for Jim's Bats & Trees Masterclass training here: https://bats.thinkific.com/courses/Bats-and-Trees-Masterclass

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Nobody knows Epping Forest quite like Andy Froud, a man who has spent the past quarter century looking after its 55,000 veteran trees and getting up close and personal with the super-rare wildlife that lives in and alongside them.

Tom and Andy chat about his early years spent in West Ham Park, the challenges of managing a vast ancient forest just 15 miles from Big Ben and how to correctly identify a daddy long legs.

Learn more about Epping Forest here: https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/things-to-do/green-spaces/epping-forest/how-we-manage-epping-forest 

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Lynne Boddy is Professor of Mycology at Cardiff University and has been a true pioneer in progressing our knowledge of much maligned but essential tree and forest fungal communities for the past 50 years.

Tom and Lynne discuss some of the strangest and rarest fungi hiding in our woods, why the Wood Wide Web concept definitely needs more work and dive deep into the unsexy world of rot and wood decay.

Check out Lynne’s brilliant videos on wood decay and tree fungi as part of Ancient Tree Forum’s VETcert course resources here: https://www.ancienttreeforum.org.uk/resources/videos/vetcert-further-guidance-on-veteran-tree-management/

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Julian Hight is a heritage trees author and storyteller who has travelled the globe in search of nature’s oldest veterans and the timeless tales we attach to them.

He chats with Tom about his many tree-inspired adventures, the rich historical and sacred significance of trees he’s encountered and why Windsor’s age-defying ancients continue to leave him awestruck.

Check out Julian’s brilliant range of books here: https://worldtreestory.my-free.website/

Book on to one of Julian’s upcoming tree tours at Windsor Great Park here - The Ancient Trees of Windsor - Heritage tree walk & talk with Julian Hight - Cumberland Lodge

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Dubbed “the education of the eye” by its founders, Tree Architecture is an alternative way of seeing and interpreting trees and ex-forester, Tom Joye, has been leading sold out courses on the subject for some years now in the UK, creating a quiet revolution in how we think about and manage the trees we look after.

Tom shares the core perspective-shifting principles and language behind this new branch of science, explains why many trees in Belgium are at a disadvantage and takes us to meet one of Europe’s oldest oaks.

Book a place on Tom‘s upcoming UK Tree Architecture course at Epping Forest here: https://www.ancienttreeforum.org.uk/events/tree-architecture-2-day-workshop-27-28-november-2025-fsc-epping-forest/

Learn more about Tree Architecture here: https://www.ancienttreeforum.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/P44-49_FINAL.pdf

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Alejandra Hart is a writer and Woodland Trust Communications Officer whose heartfelt stories inspire people to care more deeply about temperate rainforest restoration in the UK.

Tom and co-host, Arifah Sheikh, learn about the unique meeting of minds that Alejandra took part in at Buckland Wood on Dartmoor, discuss why pausing to listen is so essential when we're setting out to build meaningful connections and discover how ocean and forest habitats are more intricately linked than we've ever imagined before.

Check out Alejandra's brilliant blog RAINFOREST ECHOES: FROM THE AMAZON TO DARTMOOR here: https://www.rainforestrecovery.org.uk/news/rainforest-echoes

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Forest Entomologist, Kevin Chase Ph.D, is a Researcher with Bartlett Tree Experts who grew up in the Appalachian mountains of Pennsylvania, USA.

Tom and Kevin talk about their special collaboration around worms, unearth what makes these humble ecosystem engineers so vital to trees and then burrow deep into the fascinating 'Allee Effect' philosophy.

Find links to all The Meaning of Trees Podcast channels and content here: https://linktr.ee/themeaningoftreespodcast

Check out more about Kevin's work with Bartlett Tree Experts' Research team here: https://www.bartlett.com/staff/kevin-chase-phd

With special thanks to National Trust Leith Hill Place for hosting this recording https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/visit/surrey/leith-hill/visiting-the-house-at-leith-hill-place