1. War on nature

When someone cut down the Sycamore Gap Tree on Hadrian's Wall in Northumbria yesterday, the writer Robert Macfarlane called it part of the war on nature. Others held out the possibility of planting a forest using the seeds of the felled tree. I had a similar reaction when, about ten years ago an absentee landowner near where I live, felled a line of perfectly healthy trees during nesting season. As the workforce made bonfires from the felled wood I took photographs and started to make paintings in response. I looked for growth from the tree stumps and started to think about regeneration. This was the beginning of a painting project.

This painting was made and examined for OCA level 2.

2. Resilience

I've watched this wychelm for many years, it is diseased but produces prolific leaves every year. Worth celebrating.

3. Rainforest

After living there a few years I realised we are in the West Coast rainforest. It is dense, green, disorientating. Its now fragmented but there are efforts to join up the pieces

4. Recovery This is based on a photo reporting signs of recovery since the massive wildfire at Cannich near Inverness at the end of May. It covered 24 square miles and followed a period of drought. There are tentative but bleak signs of new life in this drawing.

Signs of recovery after the fire in 2022 at Cannich.

5. Neglect At first sight it is peaceful, ripe, mellow but look again at the broken fence and uncut crop. No one to work on it, no reason to do so. And another storm is on the way.

At first sight, peaceful but look again at the broken fence and uncut crop. Another storm is on the way

6. Storms Ciaron Babet Malik Corrie Arwen Darcy Bella

Ciaran, Babet, Malik, Corrie, Arwen, Darcy, Bella...

7. Renewal A small rowan growing out of a tree trunk. Life persists and returns. Thanks to Nick Cook for the original photo and Allison for recognising the idea.

A small rowan, growing out of a tree trunk. Thanks to Nick Cook for the original idea

8. Rainforest1 Growth everywhere!

Growth everywhere!

9. Ash dieback This was suggested to me by a photograph of the devastation off ask dieback

Devastation of ash dieback

10 Greenwashing Are they greenwashing the Atlantic rainforest now?

Are they greenwashing the Atlantic rainforest?

11. Dreadlocks Trees with dreadlocks Leave the trees please! With thanks and respect to Zephaniah

Trees with dreadlocks. Leave de trees pleese... With thanks and respect to Zephaniah

12. Wychelm clinging on at Inchnadamph. Thanks to Chris Puddephatt for the original photo

Clinging on at Inchnadamph (thanks to Chris Puddephatt www.jacksonphotography.uk

13. Scots pine is monoecious - just saying

The Scots Pine is monoecious ... just saying

14. End of year - not sure where we're headed

Year end or beginning?

15. This is Cladonia fimbriata a trumpet shaped lichen on a post by Loch Broom

This is Caledonia fimbriata a trumpet shaped lichen on fence posts by Lochbroom

16. Encrusted branches

More lichen

17. Remnants of autumn

Feels a long time ago

18. Some parts of the rainforest are always green with moss and lichen

18a. Muscular branches

19. Clinging on for dear life

20. For Assynt Wychelm project from Chris Pudephatt's photo

22. Hope in the darkness

23. Is it a mountain or a huge cloud ... or?

24. Beneath the surface

25. Against the grain