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Today's #ThickTrunkTuesday 
will be on the #HolmOak (Quercus Ilex)
I absolutely love the Holm Oaks in my neighbourhood here in #Eastbourne. It took me a while to notice them when we first moved, only slowly realising that these magnificent, beautiful trees were all the same species. I learned through asking on a local Facebook group that they were holm oaks, which were first brought to the UK in the late 1500s, and became a popular seaside tree from the 1800s. 1/x
2/x The above tree is on our neighbouring street, another one next to it, and then more along the road to school and in the park. Then many more in streets and gardens around here, and also along the seafront. I always take pictures of them, i now have many 100s! They always turn out really bad. Here just a few more, of the tree near the school. It is such privilege to live near these trees and see them all time time, I love them more and more
3/x this is why I got in a real panic during the drought in June, when I noticed (for the first time) just how many leaves they were losing - our roads are still covered in them! But others here reassured me that this was entirely normal, and that Holm Oaks are very drought resilient. It was another instance of realising just how unobservant I normally am, I had not noticed the shedding before (an ongoing #ClimateDiary conversation with @CiaraNi 
)
4/x The reason #HolmOaks are so drought resilient is that they are, of course, indigenous to the #Mediterranean where holm oaks are integral to various #AgroForestry systems, such as the #Dehesa system in #Spain. Here, holm oak trees "have been selected over centuries for the production of sweet acorns as a high quality #pig feed; planted deliberately or self-seeded. Below the tree layer is a grass layer used for grazing, or occasionally cultivated cereals "
5/6 In #Languodoc and #Italy, #HolmOaks also live in close association with #Truffles, which thrive between the roots of the trees, and are of course foraged by #pigs, which also, I imagine, eat the #Acorns. Another great example of #AgroEcology #Agroforestry, positive, symbiotic relations between plants, animals, humans that have evolved over time. Found this article really informative but am not an expert on this at all - if anyone knows more, please do add!
6/6 I am sorry to end on a sad note (this is meant to be an #Antidote to #ClimateDiary!), but: the #Mediterranean is full of the most wonderful examples of #sustainable, #biodiversity enhancing #Agroforestry systems,. It is just so sad that all this is now at the forefront of the #ClimateCrisis. As @bomengidsnl just pointed out: Many tree species may be drought resistant, but they are not climate change resistant. I so hope all these trees survive what is to come #ThickTrunkTuesday
@pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi many Tree species are drought resistant. But they are not #climatechange resistant: our man made inferno causes weather patterns never seen before for these tree species. It's well imaginable many trees will die because of our shitshow.
@bomengidsnl @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi Which means, plant every kind of food bearing trees you can think of, and of the ones that survive, plant more.
@JeffAndDonkeys @bomengidsnl @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi yes, and also plant native trees that support wildlife. In the Eastern US, that means oaks and more. https://awaytogarden.com/oaks-the-most-powerful-plant-of-all-with-doug-tallamy/
@seedtopia @bomengidsnl @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi We and wildlife share a lot of needs and foods. I plant *lots* of white oak, particularly burr oak, coz I have one in my back yard and it makes babies. I've got at least twenty growing back there now. I'll transplant them after fall dormancy.
Red oaks volunteer and I mow around them.
Maple seeds are human edible. Squirrels love them, turkeys too.
@seedtopia @bomengidsnl @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi Redbuds are native understory trees here. Buds are human edible - not a staple, just a seasonal treat - seed/pods are wildlife edible. And beautiful.
We share a lot of foods with other warm blooded creatures.
Pawpaws in the deep shade. Persimmons grow themselves. Hickory nuts. Walnuts. Food grows on trees.
@JeffAndDonkeys @seedtopia @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi Wonderful! I am situated in Europe, but I do have two white oaks just to make pictures of them growing up. Quercus alba. Is it true you can eat the acorns as a human?
@bomengidsnl @seedtopia @pvonhellermannn @CiaraNi all acorns are human edible, but first they have to be soaked/rinsed to remove the tannins. Red oaks contain more tannin than white oak, typically, and also have smaller acorns, so white oaks are more desirable for us.
@pvonhellermannn 'Is this because of climate change or was it always like this and I'm just noticing now because I am aware of climate change?' I ask myself this question all the time now. 'Was it always so windy?' 'Were there always crocuses in late January?' 'Did we used to get this little snow?' 'Did we used to get cloudbursts?'
"realising just how unobservant I normally am"
Probably why artists sometimes surprise people. They don't miss much.
Being observant also opens doors to intriguing questions, e.g. round here many old buildings don't have walls at 90°. They're not 'square'. Why not? Cracks in old walls... what goes on underground? Little streams, old wells, caves? For this, I think the drama has only just begun. Towns are now completely sealed from the ground below. Oops!