‘Never so at home’: Charles Elton and the Woods of Wytham

Abstract

Focusing on the history of an ecological site northwest of Oxford, UK, this essay explores the people, research and values behind the development of Wytham Woods as a scientific environment. A small patch of woodland, Wytham has long been identified by ecologists as a site of great scientific value. In addition to traditional sources of scientific value, such as species diversity, this article examines the role of emotional connection and aesthetics in how scientific sites are formed and maintained over long periods of time. As such, this history of Wytham Woods sheds light on the multiple factors that nurture the relationships formed when researchers dedicate decades to long-term studies conducted in specific scientific environments.