Broadleaf autumn issue: crunch time!

Hedgerows heavy with blackberries; rosehips popping from the understorey; trees bristling with sweet chestnuts, their cases bursting at the seams. Autumn is spectacularly underway! Best of all, a new issue of Broadleaf’s out, and just as crammed with nature’s bounty.

Meet the seed-seekers hunting for forgotten species like whitebeam, wild service and small-leaved lime, then turn to our science special which uncovers the crucial experiments underway on our estate to help battle climate change. Plus: ever wondered if wild boar are friend or foe to our forests? Our nature feature tackles that tusky topic and reveals all!

The woods bringing science to life 

The UK is in a race against time to hit net zero by 2050, and while we know trees play a vital role, many pressing questions remain. Our big read takes an in-depth look at the science we’re sponsoring to answer them. Discover:

• Snaizeholme, the wild, weather-bitten valley in North Yorkshire hosting pioneering trials as thousands of saplings take root. The aim is to capture carbon and boost landscape resilience for people and wildlife. 
• how scientists will measure the ways the new trees stem flooding as they grow, by intercepting rainwater in their canopies and opening up the soil to absorb more water.
• the hidden network of mycorrhizal fungi that could hold the key to creating new Scots pine and birch woods at Gleann Shìldeag, our 1,540-hectare swathe of moorland and rainforest on Scotland’s west coast. 

Wild thing: are feral pigs a boar? 

Wild boar have returned to our woods after a centuries-long hiatus – and not everyone is happy. But are these clever animals back where they belong? Our nature focus feature snuffles in the undergrowth to discover:

• the huge biodiversity benefits boar bring to our native woodland, from ploughing furrows for delicate seeds to dispersing fungi spores.
• what to look for if you suspect boar in your local wood: keep your eyes peeled for mud-splashed trees and distinctive hoof-prints.
• why conservationists fear these charismatic creatures could disappear from our forests all over again. 

Autumn: a time to reflect 

As the leaves turn, conkers fall and mist rolls in, woods become otherworldly, atmospheric – and ripe for a visit. Not sure where to head? Look no further…

• As Remembrance Day nears, we focus on our flagship First World War Centenary Wood. We acquired Epsom’s Langley Vale Wood a decade ago, and our walk there takes in a sinuous six-metre-tall oak sculpture and a moving regiment of sandstone soldiers among the trees. 
• Search for three hand-crafted log beehives at our new Devon wood, Yonder Oak – and find four more strapped to chunky old oaks across the county. They hope to entice Britain’s hard-pressed native honeybees to nest. 
• There is storytelling, willow-weaving and Mourne Mountains music to enjoy at our heritage day celebrating 500 years of history at Mourne Park woods, County Down. But watch out for ghosts!

And there’s more...

Our autumn edition pops with colourful tales worth crunching through. Open up to explore:

• why countryside queen Kate Humble has been chatting to astronaut Tim Peake, and what he had to say about the deep human need for green places – even in space!
• the 50-hectare chestnut coppice in Kent threatened with the chop – and how 25,000 Trust supporters are fighting the plan. Saving Oaken Wood is vital: it’s full of special wildlife like stag beetles and nightjars. 
• The volunteers seeking release sites for pine martens, as we work to reintroduce them to woods in the West Country for the first time in 150 years. Martens love craggy old trees for denning, and plenty of berries!

All this and more in the latest edition of Broadleaf, free to members of the Woodland Trust.

Broadleaf is our magazine exclusive to Trust members. Its inspirational writing and stunning photography tell the inside story of how we, our members, volunteers and partners stand up for trees. To receive your regular copy, become a member now.