Living Earth - Winter 2024

W

G N I V

R2 TE

LI

IN

Y IT

M

H

AZ G A

INE

0 24

C H AR

Plant a hedgerow Restoring nature’s heroes

Beneath the surface How soil connects trees

EA

T R

A guide to British hedgerows Your pull-out guide

Welcome

to the winter edition of Living Earth Another year has spun by! As I get older, they seem to go ever faster, and I’m aware of the clock ticking. We are now four years into the decade that will define humanity’s future and it’s easy to get a bit despondent when we realise how much more we must achieve in the next few years. This anxiety is affecting many people, especially the young, and I worry about that too.

Somehow, we all need to find ways to keep doing everything we can to reverse the climate, biodiversity and human health trends, yet we need to do so with hope, joy and a spring in our step. One of the many reasons that I’m still working with the Soil Association is that it’s full of people who have the practical optimism and energy which the world needs now, and we find it in so many of the people and businesses we partner with too. As members and supporters, I hope you can find this in your lives, and that by being part of our community, you know that you are playing a part in re-balancing our world.

Before I leave you to get on with exploring this issue, I’d like to remember someone very special, who was pivotal to the development of the organic movement in the UK. Richard Young was a farmer, with his mother Mary and sister Rosamund, at the renowned Kite’s Nest Farm in the Cotswolds. When I first met him, he was editor of our farming magazine, then called New Farmer and Grower, and Chair of British Organic Farmers which later re-merged into the Soil Association. He led the development of our first livestock standards, and became a renowned authority on the risks of antibiotic resistance linked to the overuse in intensive livestock production; we published seven reports on this subject long before it was recognised in the public health arena. His contribution, always made with humour, integrity and deep intelligence, was immeasurably valuable. Latterly, he worked with our friends at the Sustainable Food Trust, and died unexpectedly on 16th September. He will be hugely missed.

Warmest wishes and thanks to you all,

Helen Browning, CEO and organic farmer

Issue: 272

Cover Photo: ©Alexander Andrews

In this issue, we explore the Soil Association’s work in forestry and agroforestry (p6-7), including an inspiring tale of reforestation in Uganda (p20), and an interview with one of our forest certification officers (p28). And one of my highlights from this year was hosting the UK’s first agroforestry show here at Eastbrook (p10), with an amazing turnout, wonderful speakers and a party to boot!

What’s inside this issue 4

Your Impact Soil Association’s work with trees

20 Growing the Forests

6

What is Agroforestry?

An introduction to trees on farms

22 Mental Health 22 Benefits of Trees

7

Agroforestry in Practice What’s happening at Eastbrook Farm?

25 A Force for Good

8

Hedgerow Planting Help us plant more hedgerows at Woodoaks Farm

26 Beneath the Surface

Horticulture Corner

14 Choosing a tree based on your needs A guide to British

18 Hedgerows

Your pull-out guide

18

Why green spaces matter

Our experience at the Blue Earth Summit

How soil and trees work together

28 Meet the Team

Guilherme, a Forest Certification Officer

30 Book Club

Our favourite books on trees

Contact us on: memb@soilassociation.org 0300 330 0100 Please get in touch if you would like this magazine in a different format

Living Earth Winter 2024

10

The Agroforestry Show An overview of the event

of the Future Forest restoration in Uganda

3

Let’s talk trees From purifying our air to sheltering wildlife, trees are truly essential to life on Earth. In this issue of Living Earth, we invite you to join us as we explore the extraordinary world of trees, their vital role, and what the Soil Association is doing to protect them. To kick things off, we’ve gathered some tree-mendous facts about trees!

Soil Association Certification’s Forestry team certify over

26 million hectares of sustainable forest in over 35 countries

Living Earth Winter 2024

1,250

4

people attended the UK’s first Agroforestry Show this year to learn more about the benefits of trees on farms, hosted by the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust

70%

of UK land is farmland, but only 3% of the UK’s farmland currently practices agroforestry

2km

of hedgerows were planted at Woodoaks Farm thanks to your generosity. This provides more habitats for wildlife, stores carbon and protects our soil. And with your support we want to plant 600m more

Oak trees alone support

2,300 species

UK woodlands store

213 million tonnes of carbon, safely storing it deep in the soil

Living Earth Winter 2024

326 of which are entirely dependent on oak for their survival

5

What is agroforestry?

Simply put, agroforestry means combining agriculture and trees.

There are two main types of agroforestry: silvopastoral agroforestry, the grazing of animals under trees to enrich the soil and provide shelter for animals. And silvoarable agroforestry, where crops are grown between trees in large rows wide enough for a tractor to tend to the crops without damaging the trees.

Other types of agroforestry include hedgerows and forest farming – cultivation within a forest environment.

Agroforestry has been practiced across the world for thousands of years, but it is often forgotten in modern farming.

Now, the Soil Association is working to bring back agroforestry and the many benefits it brings.

Agroforestry has many benefits, including: Increased productivity – by mimicking natural ecosystems rather than monoculture planting, trees and plants interact and support each other. educed soil erosion – tree roots bind R the soil in place to ensure that it doesn’t wash away during heavy rain or strong winds. dditional income – fruit, nuts or timber A can provide alternative income streams, protecting farmers if their main crops fail.

More habitats for wildlife – agroforestry landscapes provide corridors for wildlife to move between habitats and thrive.

Better for the planet – trees take carbon from the atmosphere and store it within the soil. They also cycle nutrients which feed other plants, animals and fungi.

Living Earth Winter 2024

The future of agroforestry looks bright.

There are several Innovative Farmer trials taking place to provide farmers with the confidence to plant trees on their own farms, and eventually we hope farmers will be supported to adopt agroforestry through government schemes.

6

Agroforestry at

Eastbrook Farm Written by Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry

Photo: ©Ben Raskin

Ever keen to practice what we preach, Helen Browning and I have been busy planting trees at her farm,“Eastbrook”, near Swindon since 2016. Having just welcomed nearly 1,200 people to the farm for the inaugural Agroforestry Show, it felt like a good time to share with you some of what we have achieved and learnt.

We have focussed our planting so far on the 200 acres that Helen owns, as planting trees on rented land is more complicated. Our objectives are to create a showcase for agroforestry with a range of species and planting designs that can deliver a climate resilient farm, with high animal welfare and environmental performance.

We must also produce food and be profitable. Not much to ask then?

Trees can deliver all of this.

To illustrate, here’s a couple of highlights from the last seven years.

Our sixty almond trees are perhaps our most surprising success. Growing well on the heavy clay and, for the first time this year, producing more than a few nuts. The frost-free springs and long hot summers that they like, are becoming more possible in the UK. Sea Buckthorn also does really well for us with the berries going into Helen’s award-winning gin, and we are trialling drying the leaves for herbal tea.

In other fields, Perry pears, grown in rows separated by 24m-wide alleys and rotationally grazed by the dairy youngstock, are finally starting to produce fruit. And we’re excited to see our browsing blocks of coppiced willow and poplar finally put on some growth. These will provide occasional browsing for the cattle to supplement their grass diet with high tannin and micronutrient-full leaves.

As our agroforestry practice develops, we’ll be sure to keep you updated with any learnings. We’ll also be open for the Agroforestry Open Weekend in May 2024 if you’d like to come and visit. You can find out more at agroforestryopenweekend.org

Living Earth Winter 2024

Avid readers of Living Earth will know that one of our main aims at the Soil Association is to make naturefriendly farming the norm, including integrating trees into farming systems.

7

Hedgerows go a long, long way to protecting nature The rapid rise of intensive farming has destroyed thousands of miles of hedgerows to make way for larger, more industrial farms. Our goal is to restore these vital parts of our landscape: natural wonders that protect the soil, provide habitats for wildlife, and help to fight climate change.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Hedgerows stretch all the way back to the Bronze Age, when farmers first cleared areas of land for crops and livestock. Wildlife flourished within these new boundaries, as did fruits, berries, nuts and flavoursome herbs. For hundreds of years, the hedgerow would be seen as an indispensable part of the landscape; one that yielded only good things for nature, wildlife and humans.

8

But in the 20th century, hedgerows began to face widespread destruction.

From the 1950s onwards, the intensification of farming took hold in the UK. Farmers were paid to rip out thousands of miles of hedgerows to create much larger farms. Soon, prairie-like fields were filled with industrial volumes of pesticide-fed crops. It was a disaster for nature, destroying an astonishing 50% of our hedgerows, and doing incalculable damage to plants and wildlife.

It’s only recently that we’ve begun to fully understand the impact of this loss.

We’ve come to realise that hedgerows go a long, long way to protecting the land and everything that depends on it.

130 species of wildlife thrive in hedgerows, from harvest mice to roosting birds.

The food and shelter that animals find in hedgerows are life-sustaining.

Berries and flowers attract pollinators vital to the cycle of nature. The soil, too, is nourished by hedgerows, their deep roots helping to keep the soil in place. What’s more, by acting as barriers, hedgerows prevent topsoil, seeds and crops from being lost to wind and rain. Just as our Bronze Age ancestors discovered.

Hedgerows also play a vital role in the fight against climate change.

Hedgerows, by promoting good root structures and covering the landscape with trees and plants, actively develop stronger, healthier soils. And research shows that healthy soil stores three times as much carbon as our atmosphere. Plus, hedgerows absorb

and store carbon in their diverse range of vegetation.

In fact, restoring our hedgerows can make a real contribution towards the UK’s target of producing net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.

We’re championing hedgerows at Woodoaks Farm We believe hedgerows are critical to a nature-friendly future, which is why we’ve been working hard to restore these natural wonders to our landscape. In 2020, the 140-hectare Woodoaks Farm near Maple Cross in Hertfordshire was donated to the Soil Association Land Trust, with the aim of farming it sustainably into the future. Here, with the help of generous supporters, we’ve laid 2,000 metres of new hedgerows. Planted by volunteers to help keep the cost down, these new hedges have dramatically increased biodiversity across the farm.

We’ve achieved so much, but there’s still a long, long way to go Right now, we have plans to add another 600 metres of hedgerow to Woodoaks Farm, boosting the soil further and creating countless new havens for wildlife. After decades of intensive farming, we’re taking bold action to transform this corner of Hertfordshire into a place where nature comes first.

A place where wildlife is free to flourish and the soil is carefully nurtured, helping to create a safer climate for future generations.

To give to our appeal for new hedgerow planting at Woodoaks Farm, simply go to soilassociation.co/hedge or ring 0300 330 0022.

buy eight metres of hedgerow that locks in carbon £107 could and strikes a blow in the fight against climate change.

£53

could help buy four metres of hedgerow that help protect the soil from the elements and improves its quality and fertility.

£27

could help buy two metres of hedgerow that provides a haven for wildlife, from bees and butterflies to birds and small mammals.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Here’s how your gift could help:

9

The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago.

The second best time is now

The UK’s first Agroforestry Show Amidst soaring temperatures, the Soil Association and the Woodland Trust teamed up with Eastbrook Farm to host the UK’s first Agroforestry Show in September 2023. Here’s a taste of what went on!

Living Earth Winter 2024

The first event of its kind, the Agroforestry Show brought together 1,250 farmers, foresters, researchers, environmentalists, and policy makers to learn from each other and work together to shape the future of agroforestry.

10

On what is usually a tranquil farm, Eastbrook came alive with people, conversation and music. The event boasted a packed schedule, with 30 sessions, over 120 speakers, guided farm walks, and even an after party with music from Andy Cato! Covering everything from the benefits of agroforestry, to biodiversity and the climate, to how we can help bring

agroforestry into the mainstream – this was the event we needed.

Helen said, “Farming with trees is going to be a huge part of our futures, and never has that been more evident than this week where we’ve experienced 30-degree heat in September. If our farms are going to be resilient to face the future with happy and healthy animals, and crops that grow well, then trees are going to be a big part of that, as well as being very useful for reaching our environmental goals. It’s a win win.”

Over the course of the event, the common thread running through conversations was the weather. Held on the hottest day of September, on the joint hottest September on record, the extreme heat was a stark reminder of the need for more trees. And as weather conditions are expected to become more extreme, more must be done to protect the future of our planet.

Farming with trees is going to be a huge part of our futures

The extraordinary number of people attending the Agroforestry Show has shown there’s a real thirst for knowledge on agroforestry from both the traditional forestry and farming sectors. What is holding back progress is waiting for an agroforestry scheme from the Government.

It can take up to 10 years for trees to be profitable, so for many farmers it is not economically feasible to practice agroforestry and wait to recoup their profits. The Government must help farmers with the upfront costs of planting trees and changing the way that they farm.

But we also need to be able to learn about the potential of agroforestry much faster. The Soil Association would like to see more funding available for farmerled research, providing opportunities to

play around with planting systems and share their knowledge.

Representatives from each of the political parties attended the show, and whilst none were able to give details of any new schemes to boost uptake, representatives from all four UK governments were positive about supporting agroforestry to help deliver benefits for both food production and the environment.

Our aim for the Agroforestry Show was to create a vibrant agroforestry movement that will continue long after the marquees have been taken down. It’s too early to tell whether we have been successful, but the Soil Association was delighted that the event inspired so many fascinating conversations and we’ll keep you updated with any developments in future issues.

Living Earth Winter 2024

So, what can be done?

11

Get

£50

free credit!*

“Anyone can say they care about the environment but actually doing something about it, that’s different.

25 years ago, we built our first windmill and kicked off the green energy movement, and we’ve built quite a few more since then. We use all of our profits to build more.

You can join our mission to end the use of fossil fuels. Don’t just pay an energy bill, pay it to a company that will do some good with it – and invest in all of our futures.”

Dale Vince Ecotricity Founder

*£25 per fuel. Offer applies to new and existing customers switching to our Green Tariffs.

For nature For people For the planet Help create a revitalised wild forest in the Highlands of Scotland, creating a space where wildlife can flourish and communities can thrive. Please donate today to help restore what we have lost and protect what is left.

treesforlife.org.uk/earth 01309 691 292

Scottish charity SC021303. The Park, Finhorn Bay, Forres, Moray, IV36 3TH.

organic & natural skincare | clothing | bedding bathroom | cleaning

use living20 and get 20% off at

greenfibres.com

Organic mattresses hand made in Wales

Tel: 01269 598 491 E-mail: info@abacaorganic.co.uk www.abacaorganic.co.uk

Horticulture Corner

Trees for different needs

By Hugh Blogg, Horticultural Advisor

Trees can be a hugely beneficial addition to any garden, but it can be hard to know which species is right for you.

We’ve written a handy guide for choosing a tree for your garden, whether you’re looking for something small, colourful or productive.

Smaller garden

Living Earth Winter 2024

Planting in the smaller garden can be challenging and you’d be forgiven for writing trees off all together. But with careful planning there may well be a wealth of options available.

14

Choice of rootstock is particularly important in smaller spaces. However, avoid using very dwarfing rootstocks.

Even trees that you are trying to keep small benefit from a rootstock with more vigour and very dwarfing rootstocks tend to produce trees more prone to pest and disease. Instead use summer pruning alongside more

traditional winter formative pruning to control the more vigorous rootstocks and keep them manageable.

For something that gives all round value you can’t beat Sambucus nigra, or the common elder.

Gorgeous deep purple leaves, spring blossom and edible fruit. It grows as a large shrub so fits well even in smaller gardens.”

Ben Raskin, Head of Horticulture and Agroforestry

Fruit trees such as apple, pear, plum and cherry are classics for not only providing abundant harvests, but also beautiful blooms in the spring. If you have a smaller garden, you can also train your apple or pear tree flat against a wall or sturdy fence, or fan training works well for cherries, plums and even apricots, mulberries and figs.

Nut trees such as almonds or hazelnut can be an exciting addition, especially if you have mild winters and warm summers. As well as providing a harvest of hazelnuts, hazel leaves are an excellent source of food for caterpillars of a wide range of moths. Hazel can also be coppiced and this open, flower rich habitat will attract butterflies as well as ground-nesting birds such as the nightingale and willow warbler.

Climate It’s useful to consider the changing climate and what impact this might have, even on the trees in your back garden. Manuka trees, for example, well known for their medicinal honey, are likely to grow more happily in future UK climates. An evergreen shrub with many varieties to choose from, it flowers profusely and over a long period from April through to June. As it is slow growing, this tree is easy to manage, and as a bonus it tolerates a wide range of clay-rich, hard soils.

For those with a thirst for detail, you could even have a play with a new tree species search tool: APP4Future.

Designed to help growers plan for a changing climate, after plugging in various choices – location, climate change scenario and desired year range – you will be presented with a number of suitable trees.

Colour Why not simply plant a tree for the joy of exploring colour palettes, indulging in aesthetics and the simple pleasure of seeing something establish and flourish out of your kitchen window?

I’ve always struggled to choose a single favourite tree species, if you ask me again tomorrow it will be different! I really admire the classical conical shape and lovely autumn colour of the Japanese dawn redwood and equally its botanical name - Metasequoia glyptostroboides Jon Haines, Agroforestry Advisor

Espalier apple tree trained against a wall

Living Earth Winter 2024

Production

15

MASTERS DEGREES

CLIMATE SOLUTIONS

Gain the skills, knowledge and networks to help create a zero carbon world.

Practical academic courses from leading experts in behaviour change, food, ecology, energy, buildings, and architecture.

MSc Sustainability and Adaptation MSc Sustainability in Energy Provision and Demand Management MSc Green Building MSc Sustainability and Behaviour Change MSc Sustainable Food and Natural Resources MSc Sustainability and Ecology MArch Sustainable Architecture

DISTANCE LEARNING AND

PART-TIME GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE ENVIRONMENT

OPTIONS AVAILABLE

www.cat.org.uk | study@cat.org.uk | +44 (0) 1654 705953 @centre_alt_tech

Centre for Alternative Technology

centreforalternativetechnology

Kind To

Charity Supporting and Against Animal Testing For Kinder Supplements, Look for the Viridian Blue Dot Available from your Local Health Store |

@ViridianNutrition

Living Earth Winter 2024

The World

17 @ViridianNutrition

Your guide to

British hedgerows Often planted as boundary lines around areas like farm fields or gardens, hedges are much more than useful dividers. Culturally and historically important, they are teeming with life and make an immense contribution to halting biodiversity decline and tackling climate change.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Hedges come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can include many different species. Rural hedges are often a mix of shrub and tree species, such as hawthorn, blackthorn, hazel, wild cherry and dogwood. So next time you’re out for a walk, use our handy guide to help you identify local hedgerow species!

18

Hawthorn

Blackthorn

The pale green leaves of hawthorn are often the first to appear in spring, with an explosion of pretty white blossom in May. Once pollinated, they produce bright red fruit called haws that are popular with birds and small mammals.

Hawthorn is a dense and thorny plant, with brown-grey fissured bark, and twigs covered in thorns.

Not to be confused with hawthorn, blackthorn flowers appear in March and April before the leaves start to show. Blackthorn is a spiny, shrubby tree with black-purple twigs and small, narrow leaves. And, in late summer it produces sloe berries, most famously used in the making of sloe gin.

Dogwood

Hazel is a common tree that can be found in hedgerows and woodlands.

It is famous for its long, yellow catkins that appear in spring, and its green, ripening to brown, fruits (hazelnuts) that appear in late summer. These nuts are a favourite food of small mammals.

Dogwood is a small broadleaf shrub, typically found in the hedgerows of southern England. The bark is grey and smooth with shallow ridges which develop with age, and a stringy latextype substance can be seen if the leaves are pulled apart. The small clusters of flowers also have an unpleasant smell.

Wild Cherry

Field Maple

Wild cherry is one of the UK’s prettiest trees, with oval shaped leaves with jagged edges and deep red fruit hanging in clusters. The flowers are similar to blackthorn and hawthorn, but wild cherry has distinctive shiny reddish-brown bark and no thorns!

The field maple is a sturdy plant that attracts caterpillars, aphids, and other insects to pollinate its winged fruit, and feast on its leaves. It has small leaves with five lobes, which turn to a golden yellow in Autumn before falling. As with other species of maple, the sap can also be used to make maple syrup – delicious!

The scientific name Prunus Avium, refers to the important role that birds play in the tree’s propagation by eating the cherries and dispersing the seed.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Hazel

19

Living Earth Winter 2024

GROWING the forests of the future

20

Uganda Timber Growers Association has restored

500 ha of natural forest cover

The Soil Association certifies forests all over the world to FSC and PEFC standards. But did you know that there is an additional certification for forest management that has a positive impact on water, carbon, biodiversity, soil, or recreational services? - The Ecosystem Services Certification.

So far 17 forests have been awarded the certification by the Soil Association, with the first UK forest receiving certification in 2023. But we’d like to tell you about a project we’re auditing in Uganda, which was awarded certification for restoration of natural forest cover. This involved restoring native plant biodiversity in severely deforested areas, benefitting soil health, wildlife, local communities and the climate.

The forest is managed by Uganda Timber Growers Association, a membership group comprised of landowners looking to make their timber production more sustainable.

The group manage over 80,000 hectares of land in Uganda, the majority of this is plantation conifer and eucalyptus used for timber production.

and invasive species, before the native seedlings were transplanted.

But the group has committed to restoring a large area of natural forest in West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve.

It’s an area that has been severely deforested in recent decades due to illegal harvesting of timber, use as firewood, charcoal burning, grazing and agricultural encroachment, resulting in 82% of forest cover being lost between 1986 and 2016.

Despite this, Uganda Timber Growers Association has now restored 500 ha of natural forest cover in the West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve, by planting over 180,000 native tree seedlings, and restoration is still ongoing. This will protect soil, contribute to global climate goals and improve biodiversity for years to come. In fact, the forest is home to two Nationally Threatened Species of butterfly that will benefit from the increased forest cover.

In 2016, work also began to restore previously deforested areas by establishing a tree seedling nursery in the reserve and growing native indigenous broadleaf species like Milicia Excelsa and Antiaris Toxicaria for later planting. Also clearing large areas of land of weeds

And it’s not just the environment that benefitted from the reforesting work in Uganda. UTGA worked with local communities to involve them in the project, training them to plant and tend to the trees, and patrol the forests. This created more jobs in the community and a sense of pride in the forest.

Years later, local people are still involved in the project, showing the power of community in sustainable forestry. Because ultimately, the health of our world relies on it.

Living Earth Winter 2024

To combat this, the forest restoration project started by setting aside all existing native ecosystems in the area for protection – grazing and logging are no longer permitted here, and areas are patrolled to ensure their continued survival.

The trees face many threats – invasive plant species are known to outcompete native species and replace them over time, reducing species diversity. And human activity, fire and pests can also be a threat.

21

22

Living Earth Winter 2024

Written by Ruth Allen

The mental health benefits of trees Let me make a confession. I am, in fact, scared of trees. Well, sort of. Where others connect with their gentleness, I feel their towering power and this has given me a deep reverence for all that they do for us.

I am a psychotherapist specialising in outdoor, nature-based practices, and I work on a semi-forested site in north east Derbyshire, where I see with my own eyes day-in, day-out the benefits of walking among the trees – from the wind blowing through the treetops, the shelter and shade they confer in all weathers, to the perspective they offer as they grow ever-upwards.

There is now a vast amount of research that demonstrates that being outside in green landscapes is good for our whole health - what is good for the body, is almost always good for the mind, as many of us intuitively know when we go outside.

Benefits include – positive mood, reduced stress, anxiety and fatigue, and even reduced blood pressure and the prevalence of heart disease. Trees, specifically, have also been shown to boost our immune systems, increase the production of anti-cancer proteins and even reduce the need for painkillers, while speeding up recovery times.

While the ‘background effect’ of spending time with trees is wellestablished, as a therapist I am equally fascinated by the embodied and psychological presence of trees in our everyday lives, and what they mean to us as fellow species on this living earth.

First and foremost, trees are the archetypal metaphor for growth and abundance. They remind us that even from the smallest of seeds the largest of life can grow, and to be among them is to see the potential for growth and development in ourselves.

And they extend cover and sanctuary for all life in the forest, be it birds, insects, funghi, smaller trees and plants of the understory, and humans too, reminding us how to be generous, and the value of interconnected community. They show us in tangible ways that sustenance begins at the roots in good, entangled, lively, soil.

Living Earth Winter 2024

You see, trees are not one thing – they offer so much to this planet – and so it makes sense that we would feel all sorts of different emotions in their presence.

23

Living Earth Winter 2024

Trees offer us comfort and solace in both their physical presence and their reassuring elderhood

24

Trees offer us comfort and solace in both their physical presence (we simply can’t help but hug trees!) and their reassuring elderhood. They have a steadying endurance, which we can lean in to when everything around us feels fleeting and difficult. Trees meet every season with remarkable adaptability and even coniferous trees can remind us of what is evergreen in us as individuals – what is most persistent, powerful and loveable.

While much of life conspires to be complex, going outside doesn’t have to be. So often it is giving ourselves permission to do what is good for us, that is the biggest hurdle. Go outside, put your phone away and really be

there. Notice what is happening in the life of the wood. Take a soft gaze that demands nothing. Touch the textures.

Smell the air.

In the end, the longest-lasting benefit of being in nature is likely to be felt in those who can see its magic, who remain enchanted by the world come what may. As William Blake reminds us: “The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in the way… as a [person] is, so [they] see.”

Ruth’s book ‘Weathering’ will be published in March 2024 by Ebury Press. You can also see more of her on Instagram at @ruthallen.geotherapist

The Blue Earth Summit

A force for good Last year, the Soil Association was delighted to join the Blue Earth Summit as one of their official charity partners.

The Summit, based in Bristol, brings together the movers and shakers of the world to show that business can be a force for good and a champion of the natural world.

directors. It’s a radical way of making sure businesses put nature first, and we wonder how many other businesses could benefit if they gave nature a voice at the table.

Set over three days, speakers ranged from business leaders to explorers to charities, exploring topics like greenwashing, coastal restoration, and the future of fashion. Everyone had a unique perspective to share, here are some key takeaways from our Partnerships Officer.

Engaging with communities is key to tackling the climate crisis – we heard wonderful stories from community action groups taking part in everything from “guerilla gardening” to setting up meetings with their local MP to enact change. We were really inspired by some of the stories we heard and recognised a lot of this activism spirit in our own members!

A theme that came up repeatedly at the Summit was how, as a society, we are becoming increasingly disconnected from nature.

Encouragingly, businesses are showing positive movement. We loved hearing from the team at Faith in Nature, who told the story of how they’ve given nature a place on their board of

Optimism for the future During the Blue Earth Summit, it certainly felt like change was in the air. The conversations we had left us feeling rejuvenated and hopeful about the future. And that’s why events like the Blue Earth Summit are so important to continue growing forward together, both in business and the wider world.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Reconnecting with nature

Harness the power of community

25

The world beneath our feet

Living Earth Winter 2024

When most of us think about fungi, we imagine mushrooms sprouting from the ground. But did you know that those mushrooms are actually the fruit of the fungus, while the majority of the fungal organism lives in the soil?

26

Beneath the surface lies an extraordinary hidden world. A vast network of mycelium – tiny threads of fungi that wrap around or bore into tree roots to form a mycorrhizal network, sometimes referred to as the “woodwide web”, enabling trees to communicate.

In a healthy forest, each tree is connected to others by mycelium, enabling trees to share water and nutrients, and aid survival. For example, saplings growing in shady areas don’t always receive enough sunlight to perform sufficient photosynthesis. So, the sapling relies on nutrients and sugar

from older, taller trees sent through the mycorrhizal network to survive.

And it doesn’t stop there, research shows that trees are able to ‘talk’ to each other by sending chemical signals through mycorrhizal networks. They can send and detect distress signals, sending specific resources to trees in need and even producing chemicals that are harmful to invasive pests.

What’s even more impressive is that recent research indicates that trees may recognise the root tips of their relatives and favour them when sending nutrients through the fungal network!

Did you know that trees communicate through the fungal network?

Most fungal networks have a “mother tree”, the biggest and oldest tree in the forest. The mother tree usually has the most fungal connections, and through their huge photosynthetic capacity and deep roots they are able to provide food and nutrients for many of the younger trees. These ancient trees are the glue that holds the forest together.

So, what’s in it for the fungus?

As a payment for their services, the mycorrhizal network retains around 30% of the sugar that the connected trees generate. The sugar fuels the fungi, which then collects nutrients and minerals to be passed back to the trees.

The relationship between the trees

and fungus is mutually beneficial, and essential for the survival of both groups.

It’s clear that mycorrhizal networks are fundamental to forest health, but they don’t just benefit trees, they are vital for the health of the ecosystem as a whole.

They help to break down organic matter including leaves, branches and detritus, recycling nutrients for other species that call the forest home. They also keep moisture in the soil, prevent soil erosion, and play an important role in processing the carbon brought in by trees and storing it deep within the soil.

So, next time you walk through a forest, consider what lies beneath the soil – the mycorrhizal network sustaining our beautiful forests.

Living Earth Winter 2024

Mother tree

27

Guilherme

Meet the team

Living Earth Winter 2024

Many of you will be aware that the Soil Association certifies organic food, drink and beauty products to ensure they meet our standards of animal welfare, environment and wildlife protection. But did you know that we are also one of the largest certifiers of forests worldwide?

28

Guilherme is one of our forest certification officers, and his role involves overseeing the certification of forests on behalf of the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC). Keep reading to hear more about Guilherme’s role, and what a typical day looks like for him!

for just over two years as a forest certification officer.

Can you tell us about yourself and your role at the Soil Association?

We’re a very international team, with colleagues working across Africa, South America, Indonesia, and beyond. I live in London, but I feel lucky that my job takes me all over the world.

Hi everyone, my name’s Guilherme and I’ve been working at the Soil Association

I am originally from Brazil, where I studied agriculture at university and worked on the Brazilian organic standards. I moved to England two years ago to work for the Soil Association, and I haven’t looked back!

The best part of my job though is visiting forests to conduct audits. All forests need to be reviewed to be awarded the certification, and once per year after that to ensure that they continue to uphold the standards.

It’s a lot of work, so we have agents all over the world doing most of it for us.

But it’s always good to get out of the office to conduct an audit in person.

What are you looking for when you’re certifying a forest?

The certification standards are there to ensure responsible forest management, for humans and the planet. Socially, this means respecting workers’ rights, engaging with local communities, and upholding indigenous people’s rights.

Environmentally, it involves protecting biodiversity, avoiding deforestation, minimizing chemical use, and ensuring sustainable wood harvesting.

When I’m conducting an audit, I will be looking out for these things as well as

Did you know that the Soil Association helped to set up the Forestry Stewardship Council in 1993?

interviewing employees to get a better idea of how the organisation works.

But it’s not just forests that we certify.

Every step of the supply chain must be traced and certified for the final product to be labelled as sustainable. So, I visit a range of businesses, from furniture makers to printers.

What are the benefits of being certified?

The FSC or PEFC certification is a clear way to demonstrate a company’s commitment to responsible forest management.

There are lots of benefits for businesses, including access to more customers in the market for sustainable products, and of course the many benefits to the environment that more and more people are starting to understand.

And finally, as this issue is all about trees, we’d love to hear what your favourite tree is?

Great question! I’d have to say some kind of tropical fruit tree, something like a mango tree. I’m from Brazil so these trees are close to my heart, although not particularly relevant to our standards!

Living Earth Winter 2024

My ‘patch’ covers South America and Europe, so I’m responsible for certification in these regions. Day to day my job is very varied – some days I’m speaking to our agents on the ground, answering any questions they have and making sure they’re happy.

Other days I could be working directly with clients on their transition to sustainable forestry, or even encouraging new businesses to convert to sustainable practices.

29

Book Club Spruce up your bookshelf

Living Earth Winter 2024

If you’ve enjoyed this issue of Living Earth, and if we’ve sparked your interest in the world of trees, there’s much more to explore. Here are some of our favourite books, exploring everything from the hidden life of trees, to the relationship we have with these majestic organisms.

30

Suzanne Simard Suzanne was working in the forest when she first discovered how trees communicate underground through an immense web of fungi, at the centre of which lie the Mother Trees, the mysterious, powerful entities that nurture their kin and sustain the forest.

In ‘Finding the Mother Tree,’ she shares the secrets of a lifetime spent uncovering the truth about trees: their cooperation, healing capacity, memory, wisdom and sentience.

The Lost Rainforests of Britain Guy Shrubsole Did you know that temperate rainforests may once have covered up to one-fifth of Britain? Though only fragments remain, they form a rare and internationally important habitat, home to lush ferns and beardy lichens, pine martens and pied flycatchers. But why are so many of us unaware of their existence?

In ‘The Lost Rainforests of Britain’, Guy discovers these lost ecosystems and explains that without support we risk losing them from our landscape forever.

Wildwood: A Journey Through Trees Roger Deakin Wildwood is Roger’s quest to discover more about man’s long-standing connection with wood and trees.

Meeting woodlanders of all kinds, he lives in shacks and cabins, travels in search of the wild apple groves of Kazakhstan, goes coppicing in Suffolk, swims beneath the walnut trees of the Haut-Languedoc, and hunts bush plums with Aboriginal women in the outback.

The Overstory Richard Powers A fictional story about the power human beings hold over the natural world, to protect it or destroy it. Nine strangers are summoned to save America’s few remaining acres of virgin forest, all of whom have been saved in different ways by the natural world. Will they work together to save it from catastrophe?

An inspiring story about how we are all connected, humans and nature alike, and we must all work together to make things right.

Join the Bookworms!

If you’re enjoying our book recommendations, or would like to share any book ideas, please do get in touch! We’re always happy to hear from our readers, so please do share any books you’ve read that have changed the way you think about your food and where it comes from.

Email: memb@soilassociation.org

Living Earth Winter 2024

Finding the Mother Tree

31

ethicalshop

Beautiful Ethical Gifts & Homeware

ew

N

A

rS

a Ye

LE

The Ethical Shop is full of ECO and ORGANIC gift and household ideas...

SPECIAL OFFER

on

Use code SAFREEP to claim FREE P&P on orders over £50

w no

Valid until 15th February 2024

sa.ethicalshop.org

Space to

work grow change Space to

Space for

Leading the movement in workspaces for those who lead the change, with spaces currently available to rent Visit www.ethicalproperty.co.uk Email sales@ethicalproperty.co.uk or call 01865 207 810 to find out more

P O h r o on de r e r O , b n P y lin o e st

Growers of a wide selection of fruit trees for all situations

Great wines always begin in the vineyard, from the roots up.

More than 500 carefully selected organic and biodynamic wines, beers, ciders, spirits and nonalcoholic choices to choose from.

Detailed catalogue available

01905 841587

Lower Walcot Farm, Walcot Lane, Drakes Broughton, Pershore, Worcs WR10 2AL

www.walcotnursery.co.uk

Organic Apple Tree Over 500 varieties

Organic Apple Trees Over 500 varieties

Carefully selected

Sign up for regular news, our latest special offers and a full list of all our wines.

www.vintageroots.co.uk

For more information contact us: e: info@vintageroots.co.uk t: 0800 980 4992

Registered with the Vegan Society

Herons Folly Garde

Fletching Street, Mayfield East Sussex, TN20 6TE www.heronsfollygarden.co.u Herons Folly Garden Fletching Street, Mayfield East Sussex, TN20 6TE www.heronsfollygarden.co.uk

Juniper Green Organic Gin The world’s first Organic Gin

Famous for aroma and flavour Smooth and delicious Winner of 25 medals since 1999 Gluten-free and suitable for coeliacs Available online from:

Abel & Cole, Ocado, Speciality Drinks, Suma, Vinceremos, Vintage Roots or at your local specialist retailer

The Organic Spirits Company

Tel: 01483 894650 Email: office@londonandscottish.co.uk

Luxury Organic Bedding

Get 20% off using code: living-earth-20 www.sleeporganic.co.uk

Order online or call us direct on 02082555914

Winner: Best Organic Fashion Brand

Wear your passion for the planet with our soil-inspired clothing

We’ve launched a new line of organic cotton clothing, inspired by 75+ years of Soil Association history. With retro designs plucked from our archive, they are a fantastic way to support our work and inspire others to do the same!

Shop now at soilassociation.org/merch