One of the oldest-known living trees – a Great Basin bristlecone pine that is around 5,000 years old – can be found in the White Mountains of California. Its specific location is kept a secret by wardens, to prevent harm. There is an inherent sense of mystery about forests and woodlands. What’s perhaps the most astonishing is their ability to communicate, sharing information via electrical impulses, smell and taste. This idea of the “wood wide web” was out- lined in The Hidden Life of Trees (2015), as a network of soil fungi that allows vegetation to interact. Gareth Iwan Jones (b. 1981) is fascinated by these ecosystems. The Tree series is inspired by Wiltshire, where the distinctive landscape features knolls with lone or small groves of trees raised above the horizon. Here, they are pictured at dawn or dusk – lit with the assistance of drones. “I felt humbled to spend time with these elder beings and wonder what adventures they have witnessed during their lives.”

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Image Credits:
1. Beech Tree (2021). Photography Gareth Iwan Jones.
2. Skeleton Tree – Summer (2021). Photography Gareth Iwan Jones.
3. Beech Tree – Autumn (2021). Photography Gareth Iwan Jones.
4. Scots Pine – Winter (2021). Photography Gareth Iwan Jones.
5. Scots Pine – Winter II (2021). Photography Gareth Iwan Jones.