| Woodlands (New Naturalist) | 
 enlarge | Author: Oliver Rackham
Publisher: Collins
Category: Book
List Price: £25.00
Buy New: £14.30
You Save: £10.70 (43%)
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Avg. Customer Rating:  5 reviews
Sales Rank: 48461
Media: Paperback
Pages: 592
Shipping Weight (lbs): 2.9
Dimensions (in): 8.5 x 5.8 x 1.7
ISBN: 000720244X
Dewey Decimal Number: 508.31520941
EAN: 9780007202447
ASIN: 000720244X
Publication Date: September 4, 2006
Availability: Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
Condition: Brand new book dispatched from stock in the UK
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| Customer Reviews:
Excellent March 29, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
As always Oliver Rackham's readable style of writing comes to the fore, whether you are a student, expert or layman you'll always find something interesting in this and all his other books. I feel that his criticisms and "biased" opinions all add to his charm, something that is lacking in the more dry and fusty scientific texts. Also Dr Rackham's passion and enthusiasm shine through in every sentence!!
Favourite March 11, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
Oliver Rackham has been a favourite writer of mine for some time and this is amongst his most accessible. It is of course full of his prejudices and narrow view, very much based in eastern England. Much of what he says is hardly recognisable in my part of the country and woods that aren't ancient don't really figure. The study of Blackmore Vale in Dorset is of great interest though, and is something of a departure for Rackham. His discussion of the ' Vera ' thesis is also very good.
Perhaps this does not sound like a five star review, the reason is, Rackham is so good a writer and great a scholar that little criticisms take the place of condemnation. I also reccomend 'Ancient Woodland', 'Hatfield; The Last Forest', 'Hayley Wood', 'History of the Countryside', also his collaborative studies of the Mediterranean and more technical, George Peterken 'Natural Woodland'.
We could do with a one or two competitors in this field, for I would not reccommend Richard Muir or the type of book by Roger Deakin if you want sound information.
A magnificent volume November 12, 2007
6 out of 6 found this review helpful
Oliver Rackham is both an engaging and crafty writer. His well known History of the English Landscape is available in several guises and so he has rather cornered the market so to speak. What cannot be denied is that his books are a delight to read and this volume can save you the trouble of buying all his others...It is astonishing. It is humbling to be told just how little we know about the woodland history of Britain and a fascinating historical journey. I am studying woodland history at college and I cannot imagine a better text to prepare a student of ecology or landscape history for this vast subject. I have spent the past few weeks utterly engrossed. Tremendous , magnificent. Another great book in the New Naturalist series and a marvellous record of our current knowledge by a great natural history writer. Buy it and your perception of landscape will be changed forever.
Not what I was expecting - It was much better than that! August 31, 2007
8 out of 8 found this review helpful
What I thought would be a ramble through a wood turned out to be a fascinating and enlightening guided walk through both time and nature, lead by a knowledgeable and entertaining guide. This book takes the reader through the history and ecology of woodlands in Great Britain and Ireland, showing how woods have been managed (and mismanaged) over the centuries. A must for anyone interested in the countryside and how it came about.
Great Book January 21, 2007
49 out of 51 found this review helpful
Anyone who has a deep interest in the history of our woodlands and landscape would have read at least a couple of Dr Rackham's excellent books. His most famous is the History of the Countryside (Dent 1986) which gives the reader a real insight to just how our landscape came to be. His work Trees and Woodland in the British Landscape (Dent 1976) is long accepted as the best work on the subject, Rackham's book being both a comprehensive history of Britain's woodlands and a fieldwork guide that presents tree individually and as part of the landscape.
After many years we now have Woodlands. It's been quite a wait for Rackham fans but worth every minute. This new work focuses on new historical discoveries and theories. It puts woodlands within today's context. In previous books the then current issues of inappropriate management by bodies, such the Forestry Commission and the National Trust, and the threat of acid rain are mentioned. We now have Climate Change and the ongoing march of over-development. The carbon neutral con-trick is highlighted by Dr Rackham. He points out that planning trees cannot stop Climate Change, as they can't live long enough. He continues to point out the dangers of inappropriate tree planting and the need to manage and sustain our woodland heritage. The ongoing menace of grey squirrels also gets a mention.
This book, aimed at the non-specialist, investigates what woods are and how they function. In lively style, Rackham takes us through how woods evolved and how they are managed. Basic botany such as understanding roots, longevity and tree-rings are covered. The outline of woodland history, pollen analysis and wildwood, archives of woodland and how to study them, different types of woodland, the rise and fall of modern forestry. The book is illustrated with colour photographs.
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