A fascinating celebration of the some of the oldest living organisms on the planet, from the grand oaks of Europe and mighty redwoods of California to Africa's 'upside-down' baobab tree, and from the ginkgos of China and Korea to the olive tree, the worldwide symbol of peace. Ancient Trees covers those species of tree that have lived for more than a thousand years: the redwood, bristlecone pine, montezuma cypress, the monkey puzzle, amazonian ancients, yew, oak, sweet chestnut, lime, olive, welwitschia, the baobab, kauri, totara, Antarctic beech, the fig, cedar, and ginkgo. Anna Lewington, the well-known writer on all things botanical, and leading wildlife photographer Edward Parker provide an illuminating and visually striking history of each tree species, including where the long-living species can still be found, the tree's botanical details, and its mythical associations.
The second edition has been thoroughly revised and updated, including any new information on taxonomy, and has been completely redesigned. About a third of the pictures have been replaced.
Anna Lewington is a well-known writer and researcher on the uses people make of plants. Her previous books include Plants for People, Atlas of Rainforests and several educational books. She took part in BBC TV's Rough Science. Edward Parker is a renowned and prize-winning photographer. He has worked as a photographer in more than 30 countries, documenting environmental issues. He is the project manager of the Ancient Tree Hunt.