Exploring the significance and history of woodlands on the British landscape, this book looks at such diverse evidence as the woods used in buildings and ships, and how woodland has been portrayed in pictures and photographs, reconstructing British woodland through the ages. Aimed at the non-specialist, this book investigates what woods are and how they function. In lively style and illustrated with beautiful color photographs throughout, readers will learn: how woods evolved and how they are managed, the basic botany (understanding roots, partnerships, longevity, tree-rings), 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. This is set to be a classic for collectors and general readers alike.