Contents

Foreword

Introduction

REDWOOD
The phoenix tree

BRISTLECONE PINE
The tree that rewrote history

MONTEZUMA BALD CYPRESS
Swamp giant

MONKEY PUZZLE
Tree of fire and ice

AMAZONIAN ANCIENTS
Five survivors

YEW
The guardian of time

OAK
Spirit of the wildwood

SWEET CHESTNUT
Tree of protection

LIME
The dragon tree

OLIVE
Tree of peace

WELWITSCHIA
Dwarf tree of the Namib desert

BAOBAB
The upside-down tree

KAURI
Lord of the forest

TOTARA
Sacred tree of the Maoris

ANTARCTIC BEECH
Survivor from Gondwana

FIG
Sacred tree of the Old World

CEDAR
Tree of the gods

GINKGO
The dinosaur tree

Bibliography

Ancient trees and conservation

Acknowledgements

Index