top of page
All Posts
Chasing Mangroves: When the Map and the Field Tell Different Stories
Written by Onome Ofoman (Guest Writer) Maps give us direction and a sense of understanding of a location before our feet even touch the ground. As ecologists, we often begin our work scrolling through satellite imagery, identifying landscape patterns to guide our research [1]. This was exactly how I began planning my fieldwork in Lagos state, which is situated along Nigeria’s southwestern coast. It is surrounded by a complex network of lagoons, wetlands and creeks. I was usi
Guest Writer
3 days ago3 min read
Mangrove Plantation in Kachchh: The Wisdom of Tides, Culture, and Traditional Ecological Knowledge
Written by Kapilkumar N. Ingle (Guest Writer) Mangrove restoration practices around the globe are often grounded on two points: what to plant and where to plant. But a third point, ‘when to plant’ is generally neglected. Kachchh supports vast mangrove cover on the west coast of India and is totally dominated by Avicennia marina. (Photo credits: Pallavi Joshi) Kachchh (Gujarat) is the largest district in India and supports vast mangrove areas on the western coast despite its
Guest Writer
3 days ago4 min read
What if Death in Forests is Just Another Beginning?
Understanding forest life beyond growth, decay and endings Written by Sunandani Chandel I once thought a fallen tree marked the end of a forest story, a silence in structure, a break in continuity. But forests rarely align with human understanding of endings. What falls doesn’t disappear; it reorganizes. Walking through deadwood, I began to notice something I had overlooked before: small signs of life returning to what seemed lost. Seedlings emerging from decaying logs, moss
Sunandani Chandel
Jun 246 min read
As Above, So Below: Why Forest Understories Deserve the Spotlight
Written by Sabrina Dookie I have always been an ardent admirer of forest canopies. As I walk through the forests in my homeland, Guyana, I am always in awe of the serene beauty they provide. From the filtered light to the leaves rustling when the winds pay a visit, and even to the mixture of scents that surround me. I am reminded of the keen sense of life and balance that these forests uphold. As I ponder upon this balance in my quiet moments, I am reminded of the old phrase
Sabrina Dookie
May 185 min read
From Roots to Algorithms: Rethinking Forests in a Changing Economy
Insights from a World Forestry Day webinar by the BES Forest Ecology SIG Report written by Sunandani Chandel (co-chair, Forest Ecology Special Interest Group) The webinar “From Roots to Algorithms: Valuing Forests in a Changing Economy” provided a timely platform to examine how forests are increasingly understood not only as ecological systems, but also as integral to agroforestry landscapes, urban tree systems, and emerging financial frameworks. Organised by the British Ecol
Sunandani Chandel
May 85 min read
Hidden impacts of ash dieback – what is happening to our carbon stocks?
Written by Rachel Mailes (guest writer) Watching for roots, uneven ground, and other trip hazards, I remind myself to look up often; trees are what I am here for. Coming to a crossroad in the path I see it. The reminder of why this work is important. Taking the path on the left, I duck under some brambles climbing their way up the trees lining the path and emerge out into a clearing. It’s beautiful, full of long grass and tall flowering thistles that have attracted more butte
Guest Writer
Apr 115 min read
Could Forests Become the Innovation Hub of the Bioeconomy?
Written by Sunandani Chandel What if the world’s next innovation hub did not emerge from a technology campus but from a forest ecosystem? For decades, places like Silicon Valley have symbolised human ingenuity and technological progress though often with environmental trade-offs highlighting the need for innovation models that align sustainability with growth. In contrast, forests have been operating complex and highly efficient systems for millions of years. Beneath the fo
Sunandani Chandel
Mar 237 min read
The Floating Forests of the Atlantic
Written by Rosemary Wool Back in June 2025, I took a plane from London to Cancun. I was visiting Mexico for the Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Conference that was kicking off at the end of the month in Oaxaca. I had decided to spend some time in the country before the conference, so I was on my way to Isla Cozumel to do some world-renowned scuba diving. In a very jetlagged, excited and nervous state, I found a bus at Cancun airport that would take me to Pl
Rosie Wool
Jan 276 min read
Tree-mendous Traditions: Exploring the Role of Forests in the Holiday Celebrations
Written by Sabrina Dookie Trees form part of the holiday seasons in many cultures across the world, serving as a symbol of strength, birth, and renewal (Photo: PxHere distributed under CC0 domain licence) The holiday season is here once again! This time of the year allows us to reflect upon traditions and celebrations while fostering peace, joy, togetherness, and happiness. If we look a little closer beyond the sparkling lights and festivities, we can see that at the heart of
Sabrina Dookie
Dec 18, 20257 min read
Crustacean Connections: The Roles of Crabs in Coastal Forest Ecosystems
Written by Sabrina Dookie Crabs play a crucial role in numerous fisheries and have received considerable focus on conservation efforts through sustainable fishing practices and management strategies. Crabs serve essential functions in coastal forests such as mangrove wetlands, acting as ecosystem engineers which facilitate nutrient cycling and enhance soil health through behaviours such as burrowing and organic matter processing. Bioturbation by these organisms aerates soil,
Sabrina Dookie
Nov 18, 20255 min read
Forests and Folklore: How Temperate Rainforests Inspired Folk Tales
Written by Rosemary Wool Temperate rainforest in Lake St Clair Cradle Mountain National Park, Tasmania (Source: SHB2000, from Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0). When most people hear the word rainforests, they think of the tropical forests of the Amazon: hot, humid and wildly biodiverse. But these tropical rainforests have a twin; the lesser-known temperate rainforest. These forests are globally rare, inhabiting areas with high humidity, mild temperatures and lo
Rosie Wool
Nov 4, 20255 min read
The Forest Feast: Nourishing People, Preserving the Planet
Written by Sabrina Dookie As we reflect on the theme of World Food Day 2025, "Hand in Hand for Better Foods and a Better Future," it is important that we acknowledge and recognise the role of forests in food sustainability for thousands of generations. The 80 th anniversary of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is also being celebrated this year, underscoring the organisation's dedication to enhancing food systems for a brighter future through world cooperation [1].
Sabrina Dookie
Oct 13, 20254 min read
Beyond the Dark Side of the Swamp: Challenging Negative Perceptions of Mangrove Forests
Written by Dr. Sabrina Dookie Historically and in modern society, negative perceptions of mangrove wetlands persist despite an improved...
Sabrina Dookie
Sep 30, 20256 min read
The Natural Capital of Irish Forests
Written by Owen Small If we look back 10,000 years ago, we could follow the journey of a red squirrel scurrying the forest canopy in what...
Owen Small
Jul 18, 20257 min read
A global ghost hunt: mapping dead trees with aerial imagery and machine learning
By Kathryn Ha nd When we think of ecology, many of us probably think of scenes of green, growing, living things. But sometimes, the dead...
Kathryn Hand
Oct 29, 20244 min read
Different land-use policy pulls on forests in the UK: synergies, trade-offs, solutions
By Kathryn Hand The UK faces a critical issue: a multitude of competing land use demands against a backdrop of limited available land....
Kathryn Hand
Jul 23, 20246 min read
Trees with a Second Chance
Written by Julianne Pickard This International Day of Forests (March 21st), let’s celebrate the theme of ‘Forests and Innovation’ with a...
Julianne Pickard
Mar 20, 20242 min read
How “green” is your tree?
Written by Julianne Pickard Christmas trees have become a common Christmas tradition in households across the globe. Since the 16 th ...
Julianne Pickard
Jan 11, 20244 min read
Increased visitation to nature spots could be used in citizen science projects
Written by Flora Passfield Citizen Science is a key part of data collection for large scale projects, especially in ecological projects...
Flora Passfield
Sep 1, 20206 min read
bottom of page