The blizzard died down, leaving the mountains as randomly covered with snow as if a blind woman had thrown a sheet over them, the upper branches of the forest pines limed, creaking, swollen with the fall.

NEWYORKER: Once Upon a Time

For a lavish country-club-style atmosphere set in an urban forest of oaks and pines, plus athletic extras like a running track, three large outdoor pools, a 125, 000sqft fitness centre, tennis courts and a climbing wall, check out the 289-room Houstonian Hotel Club and Spa near the Galleria on the west side of town.

BBC: Business trip: Houston

It has rampaged eastwards into northern Alberta for the first time. (It has also made localised attacks on forests in all 11 western American states.) Scientists now fear the voracious beetle is about to invade the jack pines of the boreal forest, which could see the plague sweep across northern Canada to the Atlantic coast.

ECONOMIST: Pining for a cold winter

And then move up into Ponderosa pines, then in upper elevations spruce and fir forest, and then finally to some sort of alpine tundra up at the top.

NPR: Warming Will Create Micro-Climates, Scientists Say

On Friday up to 300 people are expected to start replanting in the most severely damaged area of Crowthorne Forest with species including sweet chestnuts, sequoia, Douglas firs and mountain pines.

BBC: Burnt forest rises from the ashes

The blaze in Swinley Forest raged for three weeks in May 2011, damaging more than 100, 000 trees, most of them pines.

BBC: Burnt forest rises from the ashes