Under The Big Oak Tree

When Anna and Benjamin visit their cousin Robin in the countryside he introduces them to the 300-year-old oak tree growing in the forest. As the seasons change, so does the great oak. The curious children build a den beside the tree when the leaves fall, learn to ski in the snowy forest, and search for animals in the spring sunshine. And one night, the old oak tree helps Benjamin when he discoveres something surprising...

An intimate look at one majestic hundred-year-old oak tree through four seasons--and the reality of global climate change it reveals. In the life of this one grand oak, we can see for ourselves the results of one hundred years of rapid environmental change. It's leafing out earlier, and dropping its leaves later as the climate warms. Even the inner workings of individual leaves have changed to accommodate more CO2 in our atmosphere. Climate science can seem dense, remote, and abstract. But through the lens of this one tree, it becomes immediate and intimate. In Witness Tree, environmental reporter Lynda V. Mapes takes us through her year living with one red oak at the Harvard Forest. We learn about carbon cycles and leaf physiology, but also experience the seasons as people have for centuries, watching for each new bud, and listening for each new bird and frog call in spring. We savor the cadence of falling autumn leaves, and glory of snow and starry winter nights. Lynda takes us along as she climbs high into the oak's swaying boughs, and scientists core deep into the oak's heartwood, dig into its roots and probe the teeming life of the soil. She brings us eye-level with garter snakes and newts, and alongside the squirrels and jays devouring the oak's acorns. Season by season she reveals the secrets of trees, how they work, and sustain a vast community of lives, including our own. The oak is a living timeline and witness to climate change. While stark in its implications, Witness Tree is a beautiful and lyrical read, rich in detail, sweeps of weather, history, people, and animals. It is a story rooted in hope, beauty, wonder, and the possibility of renewal in people's connection to nature.

As Ashton was cycling home from school one autumn day, he heard an almighty sigh coming from the forest, "Aaaahhhhh..." and then a loud crying, sniffling and weeping noise. When he eventually got home after cycling as fast as he could, he asked his daddy, mammy and two big brothers what the noise could have been. They all had suggestions but Ashton knew that they were not the right answers. With the help of his best friend, Jack, they decided to investigate themselves. Walking through the forest in fear, the two boys stumble upon a very big oak tree crying out loud to himself. After they befriend the big oak tree, they invite their school friends, family and teacher Miss Brownson to join them in decorating the big oak tree for Christmas. Along the way, they make more friends including two crows and get a surprise that happens right beside the big oak tree. Ashton asked his granny for help as winter was coming. The days are getting colder with snow starting to fall. All of Granny's friends join her in the forest knitting woolly scarves and jumpers for the big oak trees. There are grannies knitting, laughing and singing everywhere. They are high up and low down with their legs wrapped around the branches holding onto the big oak trees. This is just the start of many more adventures to follow in the forest.

Educational resource for teachers, parents and kids!

Each hike features an individual trail map, elevation profile, and at-a-glance information, helping readers quickly find the perfect trip. Sized to fit in a pocket, the book's detailed trail descriptions will help readers find their way on and off the trail. Driving directions and GPS trailhead coordinates will help with navigating the myriad of unnamed roads. The trails covered range from those best suited to the novice, families, experienced hikers, or backpackers.

Big Oak Flat and Groveland provide a window into hundreds of years of California history. For millennia, the Me-Wuk people lived in harmony with the environment, tapping nature for their food and shelter. Then, in 1848, James Savage found gold, and the 49er Gold Rush brought a placer mining boom. The two towns developed almost overnight. However, the easy ore was soon depleted, and a devastating fire in 1863 contributed to a severe decline in population and prosperity. In the 1880s, improved technology led to a new "hard rock" mining boom, but in 30 years, it also turned to bust. From 1915 to 1935, Groveland was the headquarters for the giant Hetch Hetchy project, which dammed the Tuolumne River and sent its water to San Francisco. In the 1960s and 1970s, Pine Mountain Lake was developed into a successful vacation and retirement community. Over the years, local residents have contributed to the development and support of Yosemite National Park tourism, making it the "Gateway to Yosemite."