The Secret Life of a Woodland Habitat: Life Through the Seasons

by Chlo� Valerie Harmsworth

Delve deep into the trees and find wonder in our UK woodlands.

Step back from the pressures of everyday life and reconnect with nature and its mindful magic with this absorbing and engaging guide. Learn what you can see at different times of the year and recognise the stunning trees, flowers and plants, multi-hued birds and insects, and mysterious mammals that call these habitats home. Soon you will be marvelling at rutting deer, soaking up the view of beautiful bluebells, and entering the world of bumbling badgers and fantastic foxes, while also enjoying the rapturous sound of glorious birdsong.

Press pause on your modern worries and go back to your ancestors' roots by foraging for nuts and berries. Become aware of the signs that indicate one season transforming into another. Search for fairytale mushrooms and at the same time understand why they are essential to our environment. Discover the science, history and folklore associated with the oak, ash and birch.

On your seasonal adventures through our enigmatic woodlands, be humbled by their importance to our interconnected ecosystem, and be inspired to protect these precious places for the betterment of the world. This accessible guide, with its attractive and original photos, will help you to build an everlasting bond with your local wildlife and woodlands, thus enriching your well-being and life.

• ISBN13: 9781399093347
• Publish Date: 28 October 2022
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Publisher: Pen & Sword Books Ltd
• Imprint: White Owl
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 128
• Language: English

Reviews

[annieb123]

Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.

The Secret Life of a Woodland Habitat is a beautifully photographed and well written look at a woodland habitat by Chloé Valerie Harmsworth. Released 14th Dec 2022 by Pen & Sword on their White Owl imprint, it's 128 pages and is available in hardcover and ebook formats. 

There have been so many studies and research showing that living a life divorced from nature and wildness increases stress and has a negative effect on mental and physical health. The need for nature connection has led to movements to change the way we educate (more wilderness and outdoor time for preschoolers through university students), green spaces in our workplaces, even "prescriptions" for outdoor and nature/wild time for everything from stress to depression to physical issues such as autoimmune flare-ups. 

The author does a brilliant job of showing a year's cycle in a woodland managed by the Woodland Trust. It's a gentle book, a contemplative book, and it's full of colourful macro photos which show close up details. There are poems for each season, and the author does a good job of both showing the beauty of nature close to home as well as explaining in accessible terms why it's vitally important to our physical and mental health as well as to the interconnected health of our planet.

Five stars. Gorgeous project, well executed. This would make a good choice for public or school library acquisition or home use. Readers should note that the specific woodland covered in the book is in the UK, but there are takeaways for readers everywhere. 

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.