Celebrating Jeff Burley at the Tiny Forest – a tribute
Associate Fellow Lindy Castell writes:
Jeff Burley was a former Director of the Oxford Department of Forestry and, as a fellow of Green College, brought to the college many students who studied for an MSc in Forestry and its relation to land use.
Jeff edited the Encyclopaedia of Forest Sciences: he was an Honorary Fellow of the Society of American Foresters, and President of IUFRO, the global forestry body. In 1991 he was honoured with a CBE.
In addition to serving as a Development Fellow, Jeff was also Vice Warden at Green College. He was an active member of both Green College and, since 2008, Green Templeton College, and was a long-time Governing Body Fellow. During negotiations for the merger of Green Templeton College, Jeff promoted positive involvement between Fellows of both sides. More importantly he continued this approach during the early post-merger years. His positive involvement made a real contribution.
Jeff Burley was co-author and editor of A History of the Radcliffe Observatory, Oxford: The Biography of a Building, published in 2005. He was a notable pioneer for sustainability initiatives: an interest which he maintained until just before he died. Indeed, he spearheaded the Fellowship Appeal 2020: Climate Change Imperative.
Prior to the pandemic, Jeff embarked on a project to plant trees (a ‘Tiny Forest’; Species Planted in the Forest: Beech, common (Fagus sylvatica) | Birch, downy (Betula pubescens) | Birch, silver (Betula pendula) | Blackthorn (Prunus spinosa) | Broom (Cytisus scoparius) | Elm, wych (Ulmus glabra) | Gorse (Ulex europaeus) | Guelder, rose (Viburnum opulus) | Hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) | Hazel (Corylus avellana) | Heather (Calluna vulgaris) | Holly (Ilex aquifolium) | Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) | Lime, large-leaved (Tilia platyphyllos) | Lime, small-leaved (Tilia cordata) | Oak, english (Quercus robur) | Oak, sessile (Quercus petraea) | Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia) on land at Littlemore Mental Health Centre.
Some college members were also involved in this. After his death in late 2021, Jeff’s colleague, Associate Fellow Geoff Lye, came up with the idea of paying tribute to him by installing a Bench near the Tiny Forest. This was inscribed with suitable words and dedicated to Jeff.
Jeff’s widow Jean Burley sitting on the bench on the day of dedication in January 2023.
The trees have settled in and also grown since they were planted. Visits to the Tiny Forest and bench are welcomed – in the context that it remains a working health centre.
