Table Of Content

40 BRIT.ORG/SIDA21(1) BOOKREVIEW EsmondHarrisJi-anhtteHarris,andN.D.G.Jami:s.2003.Oak:aBritishHistory. (ISBN0-9538630-8-5,pbk.).WindgatherPress,Ltd.,29BishopRoad,Bollington, Macclesfield,CheshireSKIO5NX,UK.(Orders:DistributedbyCentralBooks, 99WallisRoad,LondonE95LN,UK),US$30.00,208p.,10col.,49b/willus., 71/4"X93/4". ThisisnotabciokaboutthehistoricalsigniticanceoloaksinBritain.Thisisnotastudyoithemany andvaiictiusesthatoai<sliavesuppliedoverthecenturies.Thisisnotaguidetothecultivationol oaksandiherestorationolagedandhistoricwoodlands.Thisisnotaboutthemythsandsymbology thathavesui'roundedtheoaksincetimeimmortal,ilieOiik:AUrilishHistoryisalloftheseand more,VVriiteninaeasytoreadmannerwhichbeliestheaulhoiitybehindthetext,thiswillbea classiclor)'earslocome. TheoakhasalwaysheldprideofplaceamongsttreesinBritain,Forcenturies,itsdurability, strengthandattractivenesshavemadeitthetimberofchoice.Whenthe13ritishstatewasforgedin thescx'enteenthandeighteenthcenturies,theseciualiliesmadeitametaphorlorthevirtuesolthe nation.Thisbooktellsthestor\'olman'suseotthiswondei'lulnaturalresourceandarguesthatoak stillhasarichfuture,bothasmaterialandasakeyelementinanecologicallyrichcountryside.The atithorsareconcernedwithhowpeoplehavemanagedandexploitedoakwoodso\'ertimeandwith theusestowhichoaktnnberhasbeenput,inships,lurniiLireandbuildings.Aspracticingloresters, the}'i-e\-isiiwithanexpert'seyethesilviculturaltcchnic[uesolthepast—themethodsolpropagat- ing,raising,managing,coppicingandfellingoakthroughthetree'slife,fromacorntostandard.They revealtheskillsneededtoworkwithoaktimber,andtellthestoryofthegreatindustriesoliron- smehingandshipbuildingwhichreliedonthetree.Theyalsoexplorethemyths,symbolsandcul- turalassociationsthathaveconnectedpeopleinBritainwiththeoako\'erhundredsolyears.An appendixlistsover700particularlysignificantoaktrees,withnotesontheirlocation,presentcon- ditionandhistoricalconnections.Thisbookisaculturalhistorynotonlyolatree,butalsoola timbei",liix'claimsihedisappearinglorestryandcarpentryskillsolourancestorsandshowshow,in aneraofclimatechange,oakcanenrichourfutureaswellasourpast, EsmondHarrishasspentalifetimeworkingasaforester,andisaPastDirectoroltheRoyal ForestrySocietyFiewroteTheGmnneiiBookofryeei{\98\),7i-cc.s(K)8ei),andArlx7k's(f998).Jeanette FlarrisisalarmerandauthorTogetherthe\'wrotethebest-sellingReader'sDitjcsiGuidelotheTrees andSliruhso\Britain(f98f)andWihUijeConservatii^ninManay^edWiwdlandsandForests(1997). TheyrunasmalllarmmCornwall,wheretheirrenoxationolwoodlandswonthe2002Dukeol Cornwall'sAwardforForestryandConservation N.Dd.James,OBI-,wasPresidentoftheRoyal ForestrySociet)'andauthorofse\'eraltreebooks.liediedin1903,ha\'inglaidihefoundationsfor ilvshook—Garvjennin\!^s,BotanicalResearchInstduteojlexas,509PecanStreet.FortWorth,TX76102- 4060,US.A. SIDA21(1):40.2004