Beech (Fagus sylvatica) - Winter Tree Identification for Forest School

Mother of the woods, tasty edible and useful wood – we celebrate Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) and share how to identify Beech in winter using the S.O.B.S. acronym. As well as winter tree identification we also share some properties, uses and folklore of Beech that may be useful for Forest School programmes.

If you are currently doing your Forest School training or already a Forest School Leader looking to brush up on your Forest School skills I hope this video helps you develop your Forest School activities and practice.

TIMESTAMPS:
00:00 – Introduction
00:40 – S.O.B.S. Acronym
01:28 – Silhouette
02:54 – Outer Bark
03:44 – Buds and Twig
05:28 – Site & Habitat
06:21 – Other ID Clues
07:08 – Confusable Species
08:26 – Conservation & Wildlife Value
09:38 – Properties & Uses
12:44 – Folklore
15:34 – Poem

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT?
- How to Identify Trees in Winter at Forest School – Winter Tree Identification UK - https://youtu.be/2btKzRlpIcQ
- Hazel (Corylus avellana) - Winter Tree Identification for Forest School - https://youtu.be/WMZqlvtLh24
- Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) - Winter Tree Identification for Forest School - https://youtu.be/cxUgHu41YZ0
- Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus) - Winter Tree Identification - https://youtu.be/oWwnNekyF70
- Sweet Chestnut - Winter Tree Identification for Forest School - https://youtu.be/mbT1fLRaUvg
- Winter Tree ID Series – MORE COMING SOON!
- Leading Foraging Activities at Forest School – Stay safe & within the law - https://youtu.be/zDCgPeYNBVI

GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS:
- ADPRESSED – buds which lay flat against the twig
- BUD SCALES – leafy plates forming a protective covering over a bud.
- CATKINS – long, cylindrical hanging spikes of small flowers of some wind-pollinated trees such as Birch, Hazel and Alder
- COPPICING – a woodland management technique which involves periodically cutting trees down at ground level so they grow back multi-stemmed.
- DECUSSATE – a branching pattern, which is opposite with the following pair of buds rotated by 90 degrees, so if viewed from above it would look like a cross.
- EPICORMIC GROWTH – the growth of shoots straight out of the trunk, often many and accompanied by bulges.
- LATERAL BUDS – buds growing on the sides of a twig.
- LEAF SCAR – the mark left on a twig, under a bud, which is where a leaf was attached.
- LENTICELS – corky spots or lines on the bark, which are the end of the medulla rays and facilitate gas exchange in the tree.
- MARCESCENE – retention of dead plant organs (like leaves) that are normally shed
- NATIVE – a species that is indigenous to an area, as opposed to being introduced (usually by humans)
- TERMINAL BUDS – the bud or buds growing at the end of the twig

Come to the woods with me, Forest School Lou,
I’ll share Forest School knowledge with you.
Since 2007, I’ve trained people face to face.
Now from 2020, I’m sharing through videos in this place.
If you like my content, do consider subscribing,
To my channel, which I am describing - https://www.youtube.com/c/ForestSchoolLou

LINKS:
- Winter Trees: A Photographic Guide to Common Trees and Shrubs by Dominic Price and Leif Bersweden (FSC) https://www.field-studies-council.org/shop/publications/winter-trees-aidgap/
- www.forestschoolassociation.org – The Forest School Association, the UK charity for Forest School.

IMAGE CREDITS FROM PIXABAY:
- axe-chopping block by Free-Photos
- beech bud - Stux
- beech woodland by Gaby Stein
- buzzards 2 by Yvonne Huijbens
- common-buzzard by A Beijeman
- copper beech-by Karin Greiner
- den building - Rick Siderfin
- Embers fire - Klaus Hausmann
- Interference - by Evgeniy_Z
- knife-board by ds_30
- leaves-beech by analogicus
- pigs-woods by StockSnap
- red-helleborine-by U Hd
- rune on tree by Raphael Casthavian
- speech-bubble-3 by Clker-Free-Vector-Images
- Static - Orpheline
- wooden-bowls-treen by Emilian Robert Vicol
Thank you for the use of your images!

AUDIO CREDITS:
- Emerald Seas - Aaron Kenny - from youtube audio library
- Blue Creek Trail - Dan Lebowitz from youtube audio library
- Organ Boogie by JuliusH from Pixabay
- Beep_Short - from youtube audio library
- clean-record-scratch__kwahmah-02 from free sound
Thank you for the use of your sounds!

DISCLAIMER:
All information shared within the Forest School Lou channel is provided in good faith, and based on my own experience of Forest School in the UK. It is not designed to be a replacement for quality, face to face, accredited Forest School training, rather as a resource to support Forest practitioners and those in training. I am a Forest School trainer, but not your Forest School trainer, therefore no training contract exists between us. Ensure you are appropriately qualified and undertake your own risk assessments before undertaking any activity with groups, which takes into account the learners age, ability and level of understanding.

Forest School Lou is a trade name for Birchwood Learning Ltd.