Ancient : Reviving the Woods That Made Britain - Longlisted for the Wainwright Prize

''A wonderful ramble beneath the boughs'' Chris Packham''Brilliant and highly readable'' John Wright''Spellbinding. A thrilling account'' James Fox''Passionate, knowledgeable and immersive'' Tristan GooleyStep into the woods, and discover the trees that made BritainAncient woods are Britain''s richest habitats: rare fragments of our landscape that teem with life from soil to canopy. We imagine them as pristine, untouched places - but their story has always been one of interdependence with people. Now, more than ever, these places need the thoughtful intervention of humans to survive. Drawing on his twenty years'' experience as a senior advisor at the National Trust, Luke Barley brings us deep into this hidden world, revealing how modern woodlanders bring new life to these irreplaceable natural jewels. With clear-sighted vision and lyrical prose, Barley reveals how we can rekindle our ancient connection with ancient woodlands, and invites us to discover for ourselves the majesty and beauty of the ancient trees hiding in plain sight across the country.