11. Tree ID top tips

Woodland Walks - The Woodland Trust Podcast

Much as I love a woodland walk, my tree identification skills leave a lot to be desired, so I travelled to Londonthorpe Wood, Grantham for a lesson from the experts. We join tree ID guru Sally to learn how to recognise common trees from their leaves, catkins, bark and berries. From apple and ash to hawthorn and hazel, she also tells us more about the trees’ value for wildlife. I learned so much during this episode, and I hope you do too.

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Transcript

You are listening to Woodland Walks, a podcast for the Woodland Trust, presented by Adam Shaw. We protect and plant trees for people to enjoy, to fight climate change and to help wildlife thrive. Adam: Do you know what? I have been wandering around woods for many years and I've been doing so rather ignorantly. I mean, I like it and everything, but I actually don't know the names, or the histories, or the importance of a lot of the trees I am passing. So, I’ve tried to correct that, and to do that I'm taking a little lesson. I’m going back to school, and I'm doing that with the assistance of Sally Bavin, who is the assistant conservation evidence officer at the Woodland Trust. And we’re going to Londonthorpe Wood, which is near Grantham, which is in fact near the headquarters of the Woodland Trust. And she's going to run me through some of the key things to look out for in trees. Now, of course, we're coming to the end of the easy season to identify trees because leaves are a big clue. Leaves are falling off the trees, as is their wont at this time of year. But nonetheless, there are still enough of them around for me to make a good guess and I thought it was high time I learn something and hopefully have a bit of fun and share that insight with you. So, off to Londonthorpe Wood, it is! And I'm gonna meet Sally Bavin from the Woodland Trust. So, Sally, hi! We’ve met under a tree. Look at… I can tell straight away it’s an apple tree because it has apples on it! [Laugh] Sally: Yes! Adam: But I come for some lessons – gone back to school. You know, how to identify trees when they don't have apples on them, so they are not as easily identifiable. So, is this what you do at the Trust? Go around identifying trees? Is this what you do normally? Sally: [Laugh] Not all the time, but a small part of my role is, erm I lead a tree ID course. So, it's just an afternoon, we run it about every six months. Adam: Yes, I have to say, I mean I was very keen to do this, well, because I’ve gone to lots of woodlands, I am very ignorant about identifying trees. And I was thinking, we’ve gotta rush before all the leaves fall off, because then it's a lot harder, but they're still, there are trees that have got lots of leaves. So, before we start the course. Why is it important to know what a tree is – what species of tree you're looking at? Sally: Yeah, well, I think it depends. It depends on who you are as to what your interest is in the trees. I think generally for just the public it's a nice thing to note, help you understand your surroundings of a lot better and it's a sort of the first step into connecting with nature, at a bit of a deeper level than just enjoying the greenery. Because you can then look for the specific things about different species that changed throughout the seasons, and you can be expecting the apples and looking out for them in summer when they're only just appearing. That sort of thing. So, it's good for helping people to connect with nature on a more personal level. Because the type of trees in a woodland can tell you a lot about the sort of story of the woodland. So, it could help indicate whether it’s ancient woodland. It could tell you about what sort of soil types underlying the sites are and that kind of thing. What ground flora, therefore, you’re likely to sort of expect and indicate the condition of the woodland in terms of ecological health. So, if you've got lots of non-native tree species there that could tell you that the woodland’s perhaps degraded and in need of restoration, that kind of thing. Adam: Okay, fantastic, and you’re going to take me on a little journey and we're going to identify some trees. Now, I have to say first of all, about me personally, and I think others as well might find this whole thing rather daunting because there are probably thousands of tree types, and you think how on earth am I going to get to know any trees? Really as I’d have to go back to university really. Is it as daunting as it sort of first sounds? Sally: No, definitely not. There's only a handful really of really common species. So, for example, maybe sort of ten of the most common would be oak, ash, hawthorn, birch, beech, Scots pine, rowan, hazel, blackthorn and willow. And then you get to know those and then you sort of gradually pepper some more interesting species in between. Adam: Right, so that's very manageable. Super! There are sort of 10 of some of the most popular, well-known, widely dispersed UK native trees, the list of which I've already forgotten. But if you know those ten you can sort of work your way around the woodland fairly well. Sally: Yeah. And it depends on where you are coz you won't necessarily see all of those even. Adam: No, okay, very good. Well, let's not where we are. This is clearly an apple tree because it's got nice… got a very good harvest of apples on it. If it didn't, how do you spot an apple tree? Sally: Okay, so yeah, so first of all it is important to note that this is an apple tree, it is a domesticated apple variety of some description, this one, and the reason why it's here at Londonthorpe, though it's not a wild tree, is to help with the sort of engagement with visitors. So, I think the idea when this wood was planted back in the 90s, was for it to, be very much, to engage people. That people could have a snack as they went around and have that sort of engagement with nature. If you wanted to have a taste of one, although they are a bit higher up [laugh], you’d know that it tastes a lot different to the crab apple that we’ll see later on, which is very much… Adam: The crab apples are tiny, aren’t they? Sally: mmmm. Adam: I didn't think they were edible? Sally: Well, the wild ones are, yeah, I think that they’re edible, they’re just not very palatable… Adam: Not very nice, okay. Sally: So, our ancestors bred them to be different [laugh]. Adam: Okay, alright. So, but anything about the sort of branches or leaves one could look out for. Sally: So, yes, so. A lot of fruit trees are members of the Rosaceae family, so the Rose family. And quite a feature of those is that they tend to grow these sort of short woody spurs from the twig, which then have a spray of leaves all emerging from a kind of cluster. Adam: Right, right. Yep. Sally: Which is one characteristic of an apple tree. The leaves are simple leaves that are oval, and they have some tooth edges as well. So, they’re generally kind of slightly glossy and darker on the top than they are on the bottom. Adam: Right. Sally: So, in the spring, obviously you wouldn't have the apples on there. Adam: No. Sally: You’d have the blossom which is a white, with a slight… Adam: It’s beautiful isn’t it, apple blossom, it’s beautiful. Sally: Yeah. A slight tinge of pink to the petals. Adam: Okay, well, wonderful. And [inaudible] to be honest, I never eat anything in the wild because I'm terrified of killing myself and I don't think I should. Because I'm with an expert, I feel much safer, so is it okay if I grab… Sally: You can grab… Adam: I mean neither of us are particularly tall, but there are a couple in about stretching height here, so hang on a second… Sally: Yep, go for it. Adam: I’m getting stuck on this already. Sally: I have to say, I definitely agree that if you're not 100% confident, definitely don't eat anything. But this is definitely okay. This is definitely an apple tree. Adam: Oh ooo look I’ve got one, I’ve got one. Sally: [laugh] Go on. Adam: Okay. Sally: Not the biggest. [Laughter] Adam: It’s not, it’s, I haven’t had breakfast. And I don’t think lunch is on the menu, so this might be it, okay, hold on a second, you'll hear this. [Chomp] Sally: Fresh as anything! Adam: Mmmm [chomping] – I can tell you it's lovely. Mmmm okay that was very good, very good. Okay. So, that's our first tree, lead on and we shall find our second! Sally: Let’s go this way So yeah, you’re tasting the sweetness that our ancestors bred into it. [Chomping] Adam: Do you know what type of apple this is? Sally: [Laughing] I’ve no idea. Adam: No idea. Sally: No. [laugh] Adam: It’s a tasty one that’s all. Mmmm very nice! Sally: Okay, we’ve come to a… Adam: Well hold on hold on a second, I’ve gotta finish this mouthful. [Laughter] Sally: We’ll see lots more, so carry on chewing. Adam: Okay, Let me just finish this before – I’ll spit apple all over you otherwise. [Chomping] Sally: So, we’re reaching another tree here, that’s again one of the really common ones that you'll see in lots of woodlands across the UK. So, this is an ash tree. Adam: Okay. So first, well can you describe it for us? Sally: So, this one's a fairly young tree. It's only maybe seven centimetres in diameter on the trunk. It's got really quite pale bark, which I would say is quite characteristic of ash, a sort of ashen colour. Adam: Also, as opposed to the apple tree, which is really broad, had lots of leaves. It was really sort of dense-like bush-like. Sally: Yeah. Adam: This one, you see the main trunk, which is very thin and only a few branches and a few leaves. It's much more minimalist. Sally: Yes. So, these, so, ash trees are one of the most common trees in this area that you find in hedgerows. When they’re mature, they can be, you know, really have a good size trunk on them… Adam: Right… Sally: and a real spreading crown. But this one’s young, it's not reached that size yet, but the main ID feature at this time of year I'd say is the leaf, which is very characteristic. So, experts describe it as a compound. They’re a bit far away, but we can get the idea from here. So, it's a compound leaf because each of those leafstalks has pairs of leaves coming off it. Adam: Right. One to the left, one to the right. Sally: So those, what look like small leaves, are actually leaflets and the whole thing is a leaf. So each thing is um, each whole leaf emerges from the stem and has a green leafstalk. The whole thing is shed in the autumn and then comes back. Adam: Right, we’ve gotta go back over this. So, what I think is a leaf, you're telling me is not a leaf, it's a leaflet. Leaflet, have I said that right? Sally: A leaflet, yep. So, you’ve got pairs of leaflets. Adam: So actually, there’s sort of one, two, three, four… four pairs and one at the end. So, there’s eight, nine leaves, what I think of as leaves. You're saying technically that's one leaf actually. Sally: Exactly. And that's because the whole thing emerges from one bud. And is shed as a whole thing in the autumn. Adam: I see. Now, the ash, obviously one hears a lot about this, ash dieback. So, this tree looks quite healthy though. Sally: Oooer Adam: No, well okay, it doesn’t look healthy. Sally: No, if you look at the top you can see the leaves the left on it are only really in a sort of central area. All of these branches which are extending to the edge, to the extremity, of the tree are bare already. Adam: Yes, so it’s not healthy. I’m a complete idiot. It doesn’t look healthy at all. It looks very sick. Sally: Sadly, the fact that it has dieback is now one of the key, sort of, features to ID ash, which is very sad. [Adam: right] If you see a tree that looks like, you know even in the height of summer, that it’s lost quite a lot of its leaves, quite often that will be an ash tree with ash dieback. [Break] Adam: So, you’ve stopped underneath, this tree, much darker bark. So, what is it? Sally: So, this is a wild cherry. Adam: Okay, so, no cherries on it. So, before you sort of explain the defining feature, can you just describe the tree generally? Sally: Yes. So, it's another member of the rose family. So, leaves are kind of similar to the apple in that their ovals and they sort of emerge in these sprays, but they're a lot more pointed. And the teeth around the edge, I would say, are a lot more defined. And this one's sort of a medium-aged tree, I would say – like many in Londonthorpe as they were planted in about the 90s, so. Um, the bark has these, sort of, horizontal lines across it which are very characteristic of cherry. And as you say, it's a dark colour. This one's not as red as they come – they sometimes look a bit redder than this. Adam: Right. You can see, I think some of the branches have been cut off, haven’t they? And there it looks red. Sally: Yeah, yes, you can see the sort of red tinge to the wood inside there. So, you mentioned it doesn't have any cherries on it – we’re a bit late for cherries, ‘cause they’re something that’s in season in the midsummer. That time of year, and the birds absolutely love them, so they get hoovered up as soon as they’re on the tree, basically as soon as they’re ripe. And that’s reflected in the name, the scientific name of the trees. Prunus – so that means they’re part of the plum and cherry family – and then avium is the species name, obviously referring to birds there – so how much they love the cherries. Adam: So, so it's a good thing for the wildlife. Sally: Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Adam: Very nice. And then, so the leaves now. So, I know that you were previously telling me what I thought was a leaf was a leaflet – these, each individual one here is a leaf? Sally: Yeah, these are simple leaves. So, yeah as you’d expect the stalk joins directly to the woody stem and the whole leaf beyond that is one single leaf. Adam: So, the definition of a leaf is something that, sort of, sprouts from a bud? [Sally: Yes, yeah] So each leaf will come from its own individual bud on this cherry. Brilliant! Sally: Let’s head on. [laugh] [Walking, crunching of twigs under foot] Sally: We’re coming up to the crab apple here. Adam: Oh, oh, ok. So, this is a tree loaded with fruit – these tiny, tiny, mini apples. So, this is, this is [Sally: this is a crab apple] a crab apple. Sally: So, if you look at the leaves again, they’re very similar to the apple tree that we saw before, not much difference in the leaf. Pale on the underside, and glossy on the top [Adam: right] and arising in these little sprigs, but the apples are tiny. Um, and if we try one [laughter] they’re… I’ll try one, I'll take one for the team. Adam: yeah, you take one for the team [laughs] Sally: and you’ll tell by my reaction… Adam: Oh okay, go on then… [Laughter, inaudible] Adam: It’s a lifetime of going ‘never eat anything’, well together. Sally: Together. Adam and Sally: Okay. One, two, three… [Crunch, chomping] Adam: Urgh, not keen on, I dunno its unusual. Sally: It’s the aftertaste. Adam: It’s unusual. It… hmmm. Sally: It gets more sour, I think, the more you chew it. Adam: It does. It does a bit. Sally: Not as nice as the one that has been bred. Adam: It’s not as nice. It’s a bit odd in a sense that no one ever sells crab apples. You know, I mean. Sally: Yeah. You can make this jelly. Adam: crab apple jelly, I've heard of that. Sally: Anything tastes nice when you bung a load of sugar on top. Adam: Yes, that’s true, that’s true. [Laughter] Adam: [joking] You could just eat the leaves, take the leaves and chuck a load of sugar on, I don't know why. Now, I think I've had my fill… Sally: Strangely morish. Adam: No, not for me. I'll stay with my apple. [Laughter] Sally: They’ve definitely got a bitter sour kick, haven’t they? Adam: Yeah, yeah, yeah. Sally: Not as sweet. Adam: Is it okay if I just throw this into the verge for the animals? Sally: There’s lots of windfall ones down there anyway. Adam: I can see. Yeah, you don't have a cup of tea to take away the taste, do you? [Laughter] No, no. So, there we are. Sally: So, that was to demonstrate the difference between a domestic apple and the crab apple. Which of course, is one of the ancestors of the domestic apple. Adam: Is it? [Laugh] I’ve been offered a polo to take away some of the taste. Oh, go on, go on, I will have one. I said no, I will have one. That’s very kind, thank you. [Unwrapping a polo, laughter] [Walking] Adam: Right, we’ve come up to a very different looking one, which has got very particular leaves and tiny little red berries. I know that you don’t like to reveal the tree at the beginning because we love the drama of it! Go on then, you talk me through this tree. Sally: Okay, so this one’s hawthorn. [Adam: Ahh right.] A common component of hedgerows up and down the country. Also known as quickthorn, sometimes, because it does grow very quickly. This shows an example of how they can grow if they're not kept trim into a hedgerow. So yes, there's that shrubby growth habit, even though it's not being cut. And the leaves are very small. Yet another member of the rose family and the leaves are, we describe as lobed, so it has these, sort of, sticking out sections. Adam: They’re much smaller. How ignorant a statement is it that there's a similarity between this and an oak leaf? Sally: Yeah, not too ignorant. Adam: Not too ignorant. Sally: Not too ignorant because they’re both lobed, both lobed leaves, but the size is very different. Adam: This is much smaller. Sally: Um. So lovely autumn colour as you can see, they’re going yellow in colour. So, if you're thinking about managing a hedgerow for wildlife. You want to make sure that the tree is allowed to produce its flowers and then later in the year produce berries. And hawthorn and another hedgerow species in the UK, like blackthorn, which we might see some later, they produce their flowers only on the previous year's growth of wood. Which means if they’re flailed annually – every year that new bit of growth gets chopped back to where it was at the beginning of the year, and therefore it’s never allowed to flower and therefore set berries. So, the pollinators suffer from that, and the birds suffer because they don't have the berries. The berries are a really important winter food. Adam: So, it’s important actually, from a nature point of view, for this to be a bit untidy. If you keep it too manicured, it'll never flower, it will never have berries. Sally: Yeah, and you can. The advice is that hedgerows – if you cut them every three years, but you don't have to let them go out of control, you can cut one side one year, and then the top and then the next side, so that every year there's always some availability for wildlife. Adam: Okay that’s a good idea. [Voices] Adam: I think there’s a dog called Ian that’s got lost [Laughter]. So, if you’ve just heard that? Come here, Ian. Either it’s a wayward husband or a wayward dog [Laughter]. Either of which we’re going to pass them shortly… Ian, Ian looks like a dog! What an unusual name for a dog… Hello Ian! [Laughter] No, Ian’s not interested, he’s off! [Laughter, voices, walking] Adam: So, we’ve made another stop. So again, very different look. So, do you want to describe it before we get to what it is? Sally: Okay, yeah, this might be one. This is a very common one. I'd say this is in the top two, top three. Adam: It’s so embarrassing, I don’t even know what it is. Sally: You haven’t got a clue, no? Adam: I’m an idiot, so no… Sally: So, if I if I say it's silver does that give you an idea? Adam: Birch! Sally: It’s a silver birch! Adam: Aww, yes, that helps me along, if only you were there during my O levels. [Laughter] Adam: So yes, so it's got a very, it's got this very slender, it’s got one very small, sort of, main trunk, which is silver. It's got, are they called catskills? Sally: Catkins! Adam: Catkins! Sorry! Catkins, how would you describe these then? Sally: Yeah, I guess it's like a little sausage shape hanging down. The ones that we’re looking at are from the previous year so they’re very, sort of, dried up. Adam: And these are the seeds are they or… Sally: Yes, yes. So, they’re the flowering part. In the spring they look, sort of, yellow and fresh. They release their pollen, so we’ve got a little gust of wind to demonstrate how the seeds disperse, and how the pollen is dispersed as well in this species. So, a wood that is dominated by a lot of young, densely populated birch trees - you can kind of get the idea that's probably a naturally regenerated woodland because it's a good pioneer at covering new ground. Adam: And again, does it fruit or anything? Is it good for wildlife if there’s something for birds and wildlife to eat off this? Sally: It's a really popular one with blue tits because… not because of the fruit, but because it's really popular with insects. So, after oak, birch supports lots and lots of different insect species. Oak supports the most, and ash as well, and birch is definitely up there. Adam: But why? Why is it? Why is it so supportive if there…? I mean, if there’s no fruit on the thing? Surely something like cherry or apple – that would support most because it’s easy to eat? Sally: Yeah. Well, the insects are after the leaves and the sap and that sort of thing. So like aphids, caterpillars… [Adam: They like this.] So, for the birds that eat aphids, caterpillars – like blue tits – especially in the spring when they’re feeding their chicks it’s a really important species. Adam: Okay, onward. [Walking] Sally: Hello again, so you can’t see a huge amount of acorns on this one. Adam: Oh well, you’ve given it away! You always like keeping us in suspense, but I know therefore we are looking at an oak. So, the oak leaf is, sort of, our national symbol. I mean it's a symbol of Woodland Trust anyway. [Sally: Exactly] You might as well describe them though, for those that don’t know much about the oak. Sally: So, in this part of the country, we’re in the East Midlands, you’re likely to see English oak, and that's characterised by a leaf, which goes all the way up to the woody stem. There isn't any exposed bare leafstalk in between. And on the acorns – the acorn comes with a stem. Which is, that is the peduncle. Hence peduncular oak. [Laughter] Adam: That just reminded me of my French and German lessons. I’m feeling a bit lost, but okay, but lots of other people won’t be lost. [Walking] Adam: So, we’ve come across a clump of trees that are very similar. Ah, they’ve all got little red berries on. An erm, I’m trying to see. Ah, lovely little leaves. Now! Hold on a second. Hold on a second here, see I am already learning. I would say this was ten leaves, but actually, this is one leaf, and these are leaflets, aren’t they? Sally: Indeed, yep, you got it! Adam: I’ve jumped to the top of the class! Okay, so that's very good. So, there's a, there's a stem leading from the main woody, woody branch and on that has a little collection of little leaves, which are called leaflets. So what tree is this? Sally: So, as you really correctly described that it's very similar in leaf shape to the ash that we saw before. Which gives rise to one of the common names of this species, which is mountain ash, sometimes people describe it. But the most commonly used name is rowan. [Adam: Right] So, it's a small tree. As we looking around here, it's kind of, it's really standing out as part of the understory here, under these taller ash and birch trees, because they’ve all gone this really lovely orangey russet colour in their autumn glory. [Inaudible] Adam: Yes, they’re turning quicker than the other trees, aren’t they? Sally: Mmm. And their really bright berries stand out as well in these lovely clusters of red… Adam: I’ve seen, I’ve seen rowans that looks a lot nicer. These look a bit bedraggled. Is that part of this particular tree or is that the nature of the rowan? Sally: I think it's because of the situation they’ve grown in here. They’re under quite a bit of shade under other trees. Adam: So, we've got these leaves, they have little red berries on them and the main trunk thin, and well here, it’s sort of, a rusty green colour. Is that fairly typical? Sally: Mmm. Quite a pale, sort of, colour, and quite smooth. Erm but, they never grow into a big tree I would say, is one of the key features of them. Adam: And er, good for nature? Sally: Yeah, so we can see all the berries here, loved by blackbirds. They are quite a common tree for people to plant in their garden coz they don't grow too big. So yeah, lovely for attracting the birds. Adam: Very good. [Gap] OK, so we’ve come to another oak – very low. Now, this is interesting, isn’t it? So, you can tell it’s an oak – very big substantial leaves. Sally: Mmm, it looks very healthy, doesn’t it? Adam: It does, except what's odd is that all the branches start really low down. [Sally: yeah] It feels like, I dunno, has man got involved here, so has it been cut back? This is odd! Sally: Yeah, well, it's a really interesting point that you make because it shows how the situation that tree is growing in really affects its growth habit. So, the oak that we saw before was growing in woodland in dense situation with other trees in. Adam: So, you have four, five foot at least of tree trunk before you got any branches? Sally: Yep. Adam: This branch starts about ten centimetres off the ground. Sally: Yeah. So, because that one that we saw before was growing in the woodlands. It's grown competing for light. So, it's put all its energy into growing upwards – tall and thin – which is good for timber. That's what a forester would appreciate in a tree. Adam: This has grown out. Sally: Whereas this one, because it's in an open space, it’s had space to spread its wings as it were, to spread its branches out and to really create this kind of bushy habit. And although this is, this one's quite young, this is almost, I would describe it as like a proto-ancient tree. It could, this one has the potential because it's grown in this open situation and with a real sort of broad base, stocky, stout growth habit, it has the potential to get a lot older. Adam: This is gonna be very stable. Sally: Yeah. Adam: It’s also a fun tree, to go… I mean I could climb to the top of this tree, almost… just, because it’s about five foot high. [Laughter] This is sort of fun. I could imagine kids hiding in there, really lovely. So, I didn’t realise, so, if you happen to be planting trees, you know, if you’re lucky enough to have a garden where you can plant trees, and you wanted this sort of thing, you’d put it in by itself. And it’d grow nice and short, big round and lots of bushy sort of stuff, because it's not competing, it’s putting its energy elsewhere. Sally: That’s it. It’s, sort of, characteristic of a type of habitat that we call wood pasture, which is often… you'll see at stately homes like in the nearby Belton estate, you get a scattered collection of usually oak trees in an open grazed landscape, and they’re… usually, they’re very old because they were planted or established a long time ago. And because they grow in the open area, they've withstood the test of time, so if they’re tall and spindly they get blown over a lot more easily. But they last a lot longer when they’re grown in the open. Adam: Fantastic, okay, I’ll… I’m just going to take a photo of this as well. [Gap] There we are. You’ve gotta stand there so I’ve got something to scale [laughter]. Otherwise, it could be thirty foot high! There we are, there we are, got it. [Laughter] [Pause] So, loads of trees, you’ve stopped by another one, which is very, I mean it's very low. I can't even see the trunk here because of the leaves. But it also stretches quite high, very bush-like, quite large leaves. I'll, I'll let you do the rest [laugh]. Sally: Mmm, do you have any clue on it? Adam: It’s got these things that I’ll mispronounce, I’m going to mispronounce again. Catkills? Sally: Catkins. Adam: Catkins. So, these are the seeds, but these are much prettier. Very small, delicate ones, umm err, there are individual quite large hand-shaped leaves. [Sally: They’re broad.] Yes broad leaves. Sally: Shall I put you out of your misery? Adam: Yeah, go on then… [laughter] Sally: It’s hazel, this one [Adam: Right] So, you’re very correct to observe that it's growing in, again, a shrublike habit. Adam: That’s normal… that’s not just because of the way this tree is? Sally: Yeah, they have the habit of growing in that, kind of, [Adam: Very low down] shape. They’re quite often coppiced and if you go to an ancient woodland the traditional management practice of managing a woodland would be coppicing the hazel. Adam: Don’t you get hazel that you make fences out of and stuff? Sally: Yes. Yeah, that’s it! Adam: Is it very bendy, the wood? Sally: Yes so, the young… the reason why they would coppice it is to get the regrowth that sprouts back. It’s then in narrow, sort of, poles [Adam: Right] and has that flexible property. Um, yeah, so also good for hazelnuts – your Ferrero Rocher [laugh]. I don’t know if we are allowed to advertise on this [laugh]. Adam: Yes, that’s fine… The ambassador likes them, and other nut-based chocolates are available, I suppose we should say. Okay no hazelnuts at the moment, too early for that, or too late? Sally: I would say that it already is probably, you have to look on the bottom of the branches… Adam: It’s the right time but someone has nicked them all. Sally: It’s the right time but it could be the squirrels. Adam: The squirrels have been here before us. Sally: Yeah! Grey squirrels will take them even before they are ripe. They will take them when they are still green. So, it's quite often a bit of a challenge to actually find any nuts, but if you do, they’re in a little cluster, usually of three and they have a kind of, little frilly outer case to them and then a hazelnut, well you know what a hazelnut looks like? Adam: I do know what a hazelnut looks like! Well look, I think you promised me ten trees, but we’re just not going to have time to do them all. So, we might have to do another podcast. We won't get another one in this year. We’ll have to wait until the next leaf season. Sally: We could do a winter, a spring… Adam: I’d have to say I’d love to do a winter one, but aren’t you just looking at bare trunks? Sally: Winter is, yeah, next level up [laugh]. Adam: Could you identify the trees in winter? Sally: Yeah, [inaudible] Adam: Ah you see now; you see you shouldn’t have said that! [Laughter] You shouldn’t have said it, because I will come back then, and we’ll see how good you are at identifying completely bare trees. I’d think that’d be quite an interesting thing to do. Sally: I’d have to brush up. There are keys and guide that can help you do it. Adam: Well, and you say that, and of course the Woodland Trust has its own tree identifier app [Sally: it does] and there are others out there, there are books as well, you can use… as well as the blog that goes along with this – photos will be on there! Sally: In fact, um, if you become a member of the Woodland Trust, you get a free little swatch book, which is like a pocket guide with the most common trees that you are likely to see on there, so you’ll be always armed, always armed! Adam: Do you know I’m not sure I got that? Maybe, I don’t know! An outrage! [Laughter] I probably got it and lost it is the truth! Probably got it and lost it. [Laughter] Anyway, well look… Sally: Perhaps we’ll try and find you a new one. Adam: Okay, that will be very kind. Okay good, so look I have learned a properly enormous amount, I’m not just saying this, a properly enormous amount today. I’m gonna listen back to what you say and make some notes as well, because I don’t know, I don’t have a professional interest in this at all, but I think it’s quite nice not to wander around ignorantly, and just go ‘oh that’s a hazelnut, that’s ash and there were lots of things you were saying about why that’s good for birds’. And it’s, I mean your background is science and you work for the Woodland Trust, but how difficult is it for people to get a working knowledge of this stuff? Sally: I don’t think it's too difficult to get to a point where you feel familiar with your local collection of trees that you see on a regular basis in your landscape and I think even if you take from this session that we’ve done – if you take a couple more that you knew before that’s getting you towards know a higher proportion of them and then you’ll know which ones you can rule out if you’re looking at something different, erm so yeah I think it’s very doable, and I agree that it makes it a lot more… your walks, they have an extra layer of meaning and you can read the landscape a bit more. Adam: [inaudible] And of course, I mean if you are new to the Woodland Trust or not a member, new to woods, and you want to find a woodland near you, you can go to the Woodland Trust website, which is woodlandtrust.org.uk/findawood, and you can find a wood. Thank you very much, it’s been a fantastic, fantastic day out. Sally: You’re very welcome, Adam I’m pleased you’ve learned something. Adam: Thank you. Thank you for listening to the Woodland Trust Woodland Walks. Join us next month when Adam will be taking another walk in the company of Woodland Trust staff, partners, and volunteers. And don't forget to subscribe to the series on iTunes, or wherever you're listening to us, and do give us a review and a rating. And why not send us a recording of your favourite woodland walk to be included in a future podcast? Keep it to a maximum of five minutes and please tell us what makes your woodland walks special. Or send an email with details of your favourite walk and what makes it special to you. Send any audio files to [e-mail] and we look forward to hearing from you.