Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust Podcast

Do you know the difference between a rainforest and a normal forest? Or which moth looks like a fragment of 1970s carpet? Find out in our latest episode as we call on more staff from around the Trust to share their fascinating stories and favourite woods.

We chat to Laura Shewring, Colin Riley, Paul Mosley and volunteer David Mason about Wales' rainforests and a special ancient wood in Lancashire. There's much praise for magical Hackfall in North Yorkshire, and we talk about how lockdown and climate change are drawing more attention to the power of woods and trees.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

We meet Clare Nasir, the face of Channel 5 weather and a best-selling author. She shares her views on climate change, weather and being wild about the countryside. She also treats us to a tour of Lindow Common near her home in Cheshire. It's a special place for Clare. Featuring woods, heathland, peatland and a lake, she admires the small differences in nature every day - something many of us have noticed more during lockdown - as well as the site's important role in capturing carbon and fighting climate change. For Clare, the area is a welcome escape: a place to slow down and relish every moment.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

With lockdown upon us once more, we've chatted to more famous faces - and voices - to help bring you a taste of the great outdoors.

In this episode, we meet Kathy Clugston: newsreader, continuity announcer and host of Radio 4's Gardeners' Question Time. She takes us on a foggy winter walk through Belfast's Ormeau Park, where meandering paths lead through hundreds of trees. Having visited for 50 years and grateful to now live nearby, it's a place she finds heartening and bolstering. We also talk about her love of the great outdoors, her broadcasting career and playing the ukelele!

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

Amidst new lockdowns around the UK, we've taken an alternative approach to the latest podcast. Co-hosted by regular guest Ruth Hyde (and puppy Coco), we chat to staff from the Trust to find out more about their fascinating roles and some of their woodland experiences.

Meet Natalie Buttriss, Jane Craven, Justin Milward and Joe Middleton to hear about wacky games in the Forest of Dean, how to develop a new love of nature, an eerie winter woodland walk, writing music inspired by the woods and re-enacting Kevin Costner's Robin Hood Prince of Thieves film!

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

Join Adam and TV historian Dan Snow in the New Forest, one of Dan's favourite woods and a wonderful place for history. But while history is a huge part of his life, it's not his only passion. He's also a self-confessed tree hugger.

His love for the New Forest is clear on our walk. While growing up in London, his family regularly visited the area and he now lives nearby, describing it as a special and nurturing landscape.

Of course, Dan sees many things with a historian's eyes, but trees are a tonic too. Like many of us – especially in 2020 - he has found woods important for wellness, a place of extraordinary healing.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

The Northern Forest is an ambitious and exciting plan to plant 50 million trees across the North of England. It will transform life for people and wildlife.

During a walk around Smithills near Bolton, City of Trees' Jess Thompson and Gemma Wren of the National Trust tell us all about it. As we explore the amazing landscape, they explain how they're involved, what the project means for the North and why our relationship with trees is so important.

We also catch up with Trust CEO Darren Moorcroft, who gives us insight into the Trust's bold vision, the Northern Forest's significance and why he's so optimistic for the future.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

In another special lockdown episode, Clive Anderson gives us an audio tour of his North London garden. President of the Woodland Trust since 2004, Clive is an award-winning broadcaster and comedy writer and currently hosts Radio 4's Loose Ends. We gain insight into his passion for nature as he describes the trees from around the world at home in his garden, and the wildlife species that like to visit. Clive mulls over what has happened to London's sparrows, reveals his natural approach to gardening and reflects on how valuable green space has been during lockdown.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

With normal podcast recording hampered by lockdown, we visit the trees of Hampstead Heath with Tracy Chevalier, author of Girl With a Pearl Earring and other bestsellers. In this episode, Tracy describes how trees bring her comfort, considers how lockdown has changed our attitudes to nature, introduces us to two trees that are special to her and even climbs up into an old oak to show us a different perspective.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

Lockdown has hampered our usual woodland walks, so instead we're chatting to some well-known personalities about the natural world - their favourite places, memories, hopes for the future and more. First up is journalist and presenter, Steph McGovern, who talks to us about the Avenue of Trees that brought her clarity and solace as a youngster, how attitudes to nature have changed during lockdown, helping her new daughter to appreciate the environment – and fat pigeons!

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk

Join Adam Shaw at one of Mead's tree planting days to find out how young people are leading the transformation of 400 acres of ex coalmining land by planting 250,000 trees.

Learn more about the Woodland Trust at woodlandtrust.org.uk