Trees, Woods & the Green Man

Trees are vital to our survival. They came before us and we have used, abused and loved them for thousands of years. They provide our sustenance, food, shelter, medicine and the air we breathe. In myth and reality we cannot exist without them. We need them even more now to help combat the increasing effects of global warming and local pollution.

Trees, Woods and the Green Man has explored the natural and cultural value of trees, and worked to deepen popular concern and practical caring for trees in town and country. We particularly championed old trees, found that orchards were greatly undervalued and discovered the potential for initiating an annual multi-cultural festival for trees in the public domain - Tree Dressing Day.

From 1986 to 1989 we worked with many artists, sculptors, illustrators, poets, cartoonists, playwrights and writers; we initiated touring exhibitions - The Tree of Life with the South Bank Centre (London), Out of the Wood with the Crafts Council, as well as Andy Goldsworthy's Leaves at the Natural History Museum (London) and Orchards in the West Country, a photographic exhibition of our commissioned work from the late James Ravilious; we wrote and published the books In a Nutshell, a practical guide to tree care, and Trees be Company, an anthology of poetry, PULP!, a newspaper all about trees, and a range of postcards. For all this work, in 1989 we received the first Prudential Award for Visual Arts.

The Great Storm of 16 October 1987 transformed our surroundings and our lives. On the morning after, our message to the country was that a fallen tree is not a dead tree. 56,000 postcards of charcoal drawings by David Nash were distributed within a month of the storm.

Other work has included the making of Country Seats with sculptors, crafts workers, the Woodland Trust, Eastern Arts and South East Arts; a series of books, 'Home Ground' with West Midlands Arts, exploring people's relationship with their places; a series of films and lectures with the Tate Gallery (London); and Theatre of the Heart's play on Hampstead Heath (London) 'The World Tree'

A number of publications, posters and cards are still available: see our PUBLICATIONS PAGE for more details.
Read about COUNTRY SEATS or TREE DRESSING DAY
Find out about our exhibitions THE TREE OF LIFE and OUT OF THE WOOD
Follow the TREES PATHWAY or the GREEN MAN PATHWAY at www.england-in-particular.info
Read about TREES & THE 'GREAT STORM' OF 1987