John Waters / Tawny Owl (Strix aluco) adult female hiding behind tree trunk, trained bird, Somerset, UK, January

Jack Dykinga / Bark patterns of Aspen tree (Populus tremula) in front of a Ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) trunk, Kaibab National Forest, Arizona, USA

Sandra Bartocha / Scots Pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) in evening sunlight. January. Specially commended, Creative Visions category, Wildlife Photographer of the Year WPY 2012 competition.

Vladimir Medvedev / Camera trap image of wild Siberian tiger (Panthera tigris altaica) walking through woodland, Lazovsky Zapovednik Nature Reserve, Primorsky Krai, Far East Russia, November 1994

Sandra Bartocha / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) woodland in the mist, Serrahn, Muritz National Park, Germany, World Natural Heritage Site, November

Sandra Bartocha / European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) forest, Naturpark Feldberger Seenlandschaft / Feldberger lake district nature park, Germany, November

Sandra Bartocha / Ghost wood - European Beech (Fagus sylvatica), woodland Nienhagen, Germany, April

Sandra Bartocha / Downy / European white birch (Betula pubescens) tree trunks in the mist, Waldstadt, Potsdam, Germany, November

Sandra Bartocha / Forest view of trunks of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Downy European white birch (Betula pubescens) and European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees, Muritz National Park, Germany, November

Sandra Bartocha / Forest view of trunks of Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris), Downy European white birch (Betula pubescens) and European Beech (Fagus sylvatica) trees, Muritz National Park, Germany, November

Konstantin Mikhailov / Western red cedar tree (Thuja plicata) trunks with moss and fungi, inland temperate rainforest of Olympic National Park, Washington, USA, Western North America, January.

Erlend Haarberg / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) standing on hind legs with front paw on tree trunk, Sor-Trondelag, Norway, June

Erlend Haarberg / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) standing on hind legs with front paws on tree looking up it, Sor-Trondelag, Norway, June

Konrad Wothe / Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) fishing for ants with stick, Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, East Africa

Klaus Echle / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) sniffing beech tree trunk, Black Forest, Germany, Winner of Fritz Polking portfolio prize, GDT 2011 competition

Klaus Echle / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) at base of tree trunk in the Black Forest, Germany, Winner of Fritz Polking portfolio prize , GDT 2011 competition

Colin Varndell / Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) trunks, Arne, Dorset, UK, Sptember

Uri Golman / Asiatic lion cub (Panthera leo persica) looking up into tree, possibly at a bird, Gir Forest NP, Gujarat, India

Pete Oxford / Bald cypress trees (Taxodium distichum) The Orianne Indigo Snake Preserve, Telfair County, Georgia, USA

Luis Quinta / Mount Pico, volcanic mountain, Pico Island, Azores, March, 2010.

Konrad Wothe / Fan Palms (Licuala ramsayi) in rainforest, Daintree National Park, North Queensland, Australia, October

Sven Zacek / Tail of a Pine Marten (Martes martes) sticking out from a black woodpecker hole as it forages for eggs and chicks. Estonia, Europe, May.

Kirkendall-Spring / Rows of pine trees in Pine forest plantation along Highway 203, Applin County, Georgia, USA, November 2008

Kirkendall-Spring / Rows of pine trees in Pine forest plantation along Highway 203, Applin County, Georgia, USA, November 2008

Niall Benvie / Beech trees in autumn mist, Morvan regional park, Burgundy, France, November 2010

Klaus Echle / Stockdove (Columba oenas) shadow on the trunk of beech tree. Black Forest, Germany, April.

Jeff Vanuga / Volkswagon driving through Jedediah Smith Redwoods State Park, California, USA, May, Model released

Diane McAllister / Brown bear (Ursus arctos) strolling along the beach in the rain, looking towards the camera. Lake Clark National Park, Alaska, USA, July

Inaki Relanzon / "The Lovers" Baobabs (Adansonia grandidieri). Near Morondava, Madagascar, Africa, September 2010.

Anup Shah / Bornean Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus wurmbii) sub-adult male 'Oman' sitting on a clump of vegetation in the river feeding - wide angle perspective. Camp Bulu, Lamandau Nature Reserve, Central Kalimantan,...

Jouan & Rius / Two Lanternflies (Purops intricata) on rainforest tree, Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Jouan & Rius / Palm trees (Licuala valida) in swamp forest, Lambir NP, Borneo, Sarawak, Malaysia

Sergey Gorshkov / Wolverine (Gulo gulo) climbing birch tree, Kamchatka, Far East Russia, April

Florian Möllers / Alder trees (Alnus sp) reflected in standing water in nature reserve, Berlin, Germany, May 2009

Alex Hyde / Looking up at Beech wood canopy (Fagus sylvatica) in autumn, Peak District National Park, Derbyshire, UK, November

Alex Hyde / Beech woodland in dense fog. Derbyshire, UK, November

Orsolya Haarberg / Spruce trees covered in hard frost, coniferous forest in winter, Harghita, Romania.

Juan Carlos Munoz / Trunk of an Italian stone pine tree (Pinus pinea) in Sierra de Andujar Natural Park. Andalusia, Spain, Feb 2010

Pete Oxford / Man (a balata bleeder, Anton Clarence) collecting natural latex from the Balata / Bullet wood tree (Manilkara bidentata), Katoka, Rupununi, Guyana, Model released

Colin Varndell / Beech trees (Fagus sylvatica) in West Woods, Wiltshire, UK, November 2010

Jenny E. Ross / A Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) plantation in the Coachella Valley near the Salton Sea. More than 90 percent of the dates produced in the United States are grown in this region, using Colorado River...

Anup Shah / Black-backed jackal pup (Canis mesomelas) 6-9 months peering out from the entrance to the den. Masai Mara National Reserve, Kenya, August 2009

Angelo Gandolfi / Ancient Sweet Chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) growing in the Spelunca Gorges. Porto, Parc Naturel Regional de Corse, Corsica island, France, January 2010

Angelo Gandolfi / An old Cork Oak (Quercus) growing over a rock. February, Corsica island, France. February 2010

Angelo Gandolfi / Mouflon ram (Ovis musimon) portrait, standing in forest, Foret de Valdu Niellu, Corte, Parc Naturel Regional de Corse, Corsica island, France, February

David Tipling / Young boy and girl playing in Bluebell (Hyacinthoides non-scripta) wood, Norfolk, UK, May. Model released.

Andrew Parkinson / Nuthatch (Sitta europaea) decending the trunk of Silver Birch (Betula verrucsa) tree, Derbyshire, UK. December (non-ex)

Floris van Breugel / Autumn colours of Aspen tree (Populus tremula) Sierra Nevada, California, USA. September 2009

Floris van Breugel / Trunks of Californian Redwood trees (Sequoia sempervirens) and blooming Rhododendron, Redwood National Park, Califorina, USA, June 2008.

Colin Varndell / Mature Beech tree (Fagus sylvatica) with leaves in autumn colours, Mark Ash Wood, New Forest, England, UK, October

Alex Hyde / Boabab trees {Adansonia grandidieri} in evening light. Morondava, Madagascar, October 2009

Alex Hyde / Boabab trees {Adansonia grandidieri} in evening light. Morondava, Madagascar, October 2009

Alex Hyde / Madagascar tree boa {Sanzinia madagascariensis} tropical rainforest. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Boabab trees {Adansonia grandidieri} in evening light. Morondava, Madagascar. Digital Composite Panorama.

Alex Hyde / Giant millipede {Aphistogoniulus sp} on tree trunk in lowland rainforest. Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar.

Alex Hyde / Tropical rainforest, Masoala Peninsula National Park, north east Madagascar, October 2009

Marie Read / Great crested flycatcher (Myiarchus crinitus), female alighting at nest cavity entrance carrying pine needles as nest material, wide angle captured with remote camera to show habitat, New York, USA. M...

Marie Read / Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) male in snowstorm, Freeville, New York, USA, February.

Marie Read / Hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) male in snowstorm, Freeville, New York, USA, February.

Marie Read / Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius), male drumming, long exposure, New York, USA, April.

Marie Read / Pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) male excavating in search of food, New York, USA. Digital composite.

Marie Read / Pileated Woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) male, at feeding excavation in tree trunk in winter, Freeville, New York, USA, January.

Marie Read / Red-breasted sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber) adult feeding on tree sap from shallow wells it has drilled in bark of Curl-leaf Mountain-mahogany (Cercocarpus ledifoius), Lee Vining Canyon, California, US...

Stephane Granzotto / Pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum) looking out from nest hole in a tree, Rhone-Alpes, France, September.

Stephane Granzotto / Pygmy owl (Glaucidium passerinum) looking out from nest hole, eating prey, Rhone-Alpes, France, September.

Nick Upton / Lungwort / Green satin lichen (Lobaria virens) on a treetrunk in ancient Atlantic woodland, Knapdale Forest, Argyll, Scotland, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Lungwort / Green satin lichen (Lobaria virens) with apothecia fruiting bodies on a treetrunk in ancient Atlantic woodland, Knapdale Forest, Argyll, Scotland, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Tree lungwort / Lung lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria) growing on a treetrunk in ancient Atlantic woodland, Knapdale Forest, Argyll, Scotland, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Yellow specklebelly lichen (Pseudocyphellaria crocata) with golden soralia on a Hazel (Corylus avellana) treetrunk in ancient Atlantic woodland, Knapdale Forest, Argyll, Scotland, UK, May.

Nick Upton / Lungwort / Green satin lichen (Lobaria virens) with apothecia fruiting bodies on a treetrunk in ancient Atlantic woodland, Knapdale Forest, Argyll, Scotland, UK, May.

Marie Read / White-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) male bringing food for female who is incubating in nest hole in treetrunk. New York, USA, April

Nick Upton / Dani Rozycka inspecting Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) nestbox temporarily detached from a Beech treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, Augus...

Nick Upton / Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) peering out of a nestbox attached to a Beech treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) peering out of a nestbox attached to a Beech treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) peering out of a nestbox attached to a Beech treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) clinging to a treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Edible / Fat Dormouse (Glis glis) clinging to a treetrunk in woodland where this European species has become naturalised, Buckinghamshire, UK, August.

Nick Upton / Grey cicada (Cicada orni) singing from an Olive treetrunk (Olea europaea), Kilada, Peloponnese, Greece, August.

Nick Upton / Grey cicada (Cicada orni) singing from an Olive treetrunk (Olea europaea), Kilada, Peloponnese, Greece, August.

Marie Read / Red-breasted Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus ruber), outside entrance to nest cavity in treetrunk, holding beakful of insects for young. Lee Vining Canyon, Mono Lake Basin, California, USA, June.

Marie Read / Red-bellied Woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) pair, male calling, female in background, both clinging to treetrunk where their nest is located (not visible), Lakeland, Florida, USA, March.

Marie Read / Pileated Woodpeckers (Dryocopus pileatus), pair during incubation exchange, female clinging to treetrunk as male comes out of nest hole entrance, spring, New York, USA, May.

Markus Varesvuo / Tengmalm's / Boreal owl (Aegolius funereus) looking out of hole in tree, Kuusamo, Finland, June

Alan Williams / Tree Creeper (Certhia familiaris) singing on treetrunk in woodland, North Wales, UK, May

PREMAPHOTOS / Stick insect / walkingstick (Circia sp.) mimicking moss on a treetrunk, in rainforest, Madagascar

Neil Lucas / Velvet Shank / Winter fungus {Flammulina velutipes} growing on treetrunk. UK