Here in my home in leafy North London, I’m lucky; I still have ancient woodland to roam in. Centuries of undisturbed soils and accumulated decaying wood have created the perfect place for 71 different species of bird, foxes, grey squirrels, bats, 180 species of moth, 12 species of butterfly and 80 species of spider. Not to mention innumerable fungi and invertebrates.
In lockdown my sanity was sustained by walks through local woodland; weaving between primroses and wood anemones, searching the frog pond for life, counting the bird species that watched my progress from a nearby perch. It’s not surprising that it helped me, People have used nature to heal and find a private space and escape to recover from stresses of both everyday life and more deep-rooted issues over thousands of years. A walk gives us time to experience what is around us, take notice of something other than the four walls of home or office and benefit from the distraction and beauty that is there.
Ancient woods are irreplaceable. Once what little we have left is gone, it’s gone for good. Sadly recent studies are showing that 38% of the world’s trees are at risk of extinction. More than double the number of all threatened birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians combined. What will you do to protect and preserve them?
Jen Cable Art 