Historically the LGBTQ+ community has been stigmatised and often referred to as being “unnatural.” However, upon closer examination the natural world is rife with queerness. One set of examples can be found in the variety of plants and their reproductive methods. Nature is in constant flux and is at its best when rich in diversity. Concepts such as science and culture, male and female, human and nature are often contrasted in stark binaries but queerness favours multiplicity and gradients. Moving forward, queer stories from culture and nature should be more broadly interwoven into our understanding of the world.

Willows are the predominant tree in the part of the Marshes called Horseshoe Thicket. There is a coppiced area of trees there. Coppicing is a traditional way of seasonally cutting back certain trees to sustainably harvest wood. Coppicing improves biodiversity by allowing more sunlight to reach the ground, which allows for more wildflowers (also meaning more food for insects and pollinators). The tree stumps that are left, called stools, have crevices that can house small mammals like dormice, and mushrooms often grow on the dead bark. The tree itself may even be able to live longer, if it is allowed to grow before being coppiced again. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, sometimes a seemingly destructive act can be good for new growth and to encourage diversity. By dismantling, or deconstructing, existing social constructs that are out of date or that restrict us from further growth, like patriarchy or gender constructs, we can open up a space for something new.

There about 450 species of willow across Asia, Europe, and North America, of which there are at least five that grow in the Marshes, including Salix alba (White Willow), Salix cinerea (Grey Willow), Salis fragilis (Crack Willow), Salix purpurea (Purple Willow), Salix viminalis (Osier). Willows are common in wetlands and near riverbanks, as they thrive in wet soil. They have striking flowers, borne on catkins, which appear in early spring, before their leaves grow. Catkin flowers are an early sign of spring’s arrival, and are an important early pollen source for bees. Unlike the Horse Chestnut, willows are mostly dioecious (their masc/male and femme/female flowers are on separate plants). Their roots limit erosion along riparian areas (between land and running fresh water), and can also provide habitats for wildlife. Willows have been valued by humans for centuries: their slender, flexible stems are great for weaving baskets, fences, and fish nets, and their bark contains salicin, which is used to treat fevers and headches.

Further Reading:

https://www.treeguideuk.co.uk/willows/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salix_cinerea