Ancient

Ancient woods are Britain's richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. While some of them form the last surviving remnants of our primeval 'wildwood', these ancient woodlands now depend on humans to thrive - yet live in our collective imagination as quiet places, best left pristine and untouched. A ranger in Britain's ancient woodlands for over twenty years, from the Lakes to the Peak by way of suburban London's hidden gems, Luke Barley is a passionate advocate for the active rejuvenation of these precious yet neglected spaces. Bringing us into his woodland world, Luke introduces the work of his forebears and the passionate individuals who are currently reinvigorating ancient practices to carve out a better future. With clear-sighted passion and lyrical prose, he shares what we all stand to gain by rekindling our strong connection with these beautiful, irreplaceable woods.