Broadleaf spring issue: a fresh new dawn

Spring has sprung at last, and the world is waking up. Birdsong is back, brimstone butterflies flash along woodland edges, and mammals and reptiles alike shake their spines, uncoil their scales and emerge into the strengthening sunlight.

This issue, we delve into the science behind letting new woods colonise naturally, and peek into the sleepy world of the rare hazel dormouse through the eyes – and the pen – of much-loved poet Pam Ayres. And don’t miss wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin sharing the thrill of spotting wildcats in the Cairngorms, and her hair-raising brush with harpy eagles in Brazil.

Nature’s way: when not to plant

We plant trees on an epic scale – vital reforestation to combat the twin climate and biodiversity crises facing the nation. But is planting always the best way? This issue, we dig deep into:

• when to let trees re-seed naturally, creeping into neighbouring fields and grassland to create the kind of higgledly-piggedly, scrubby habitat beloved by birds, insects and mammals
• which factors tend to help naturally grown woods succeed – such as disturbed soil, fewer deer and a reliable seed source. Can these be replicated in different landscapes to the same effect?
• why structural variety and natural selection make this type of woodland creation the perfect complement to planting, and when it’s the right method to choose.

Pam Ayres: why I dote on dormice

In our regular nature feature, the poet and nature-lover goes undercover to discover the hidden secrets of the elusive hazel dormouse. Here’s your chance to find out:

• how our work at Devon dormouse hot-spot, Fingle Woods, is helping numbers of this threatened species increase against a backdrop of worrying national decline
• how we safely monitor dormice numbers, their breeding habitats and movement through the woods, from weighing sleepy specimens to looking out for tiny charcoal footprints pitter-pattering through purpose-made tunnels
• why inspiring children to notice and love our disappearing wildlife is so vital to their future, and how to help them connect meaningfully with nature.

If you go down to the woods today…

From darting dragonflies to drone-scattered seeds, there are hot happenings aplenty in the woods this season. In our topical Treescape section, get up close to discover:

• how we’re primping boggy ponds in the West Highlands to boost habitat for rare Scottish dragonfly species, including the northern emerald, white-faced darter and azure hawker
• the new 500-acre oasis we've snapped up in Lincolnshire, pregnant with potential for wildlife, including white admiral butterflies, goshawks and ravens
• the innovative ways we’re restoring Britain’s precious temperate rainforest, including dropping a motherlode of native tree seed into hard-to-reach fragments of territory in deepest Cornwall.

And there’s more!

Our spring issue is bursting with box-fresh tales from the trees. Leaf through to meet:

• the wild trout being given a fin up in our Wensleydale sanctuary, Snaizeholme, where storm-toppled larch trees have been lowered into streams to slow erosion and boost habitats
• the artist who loved a London lime tree so much he sketched it more than 4,000 times – using colourful pastels to capture every weather and season
• wildlife presenter Liz Bonnin, whose love of the outdoors was forged in the French pinewoods of Nice and the fragrant orchards of the Caribbean.

All this and more in the latest edition of Broadleaf, free to members of the Woodland Trust.

Broadleaf is our magazine exclusive to Trust members. Its inspirational writing and stunning photography tell the inside story of how we, our members, volunteers and partners stand up for trees. To receive your regular copy, become a member now.