Oak Tree: Nature's Greatest Survivor: Story, Cast and Series Facts

Story and premise

Dr. George McGavin investigates the highly varied and dramatic life of oak tree. Part science documentary, part historical investigation, this film is a celebration of one of the most iconic trees in the British countryside. It aims to give viewers a sense of what an extraordinary species the oak is and provide an insight into how this venerable tree experiences life.

Filmed over a year, George uncovers the extraordinary transformations the oak goes through to meet the challenges of four very different seasons.

In autumn, George goes underground, digging below an oak tree to see how its roots extract precious resources from the soil. And he sees why the oak's superstrong wood made it the perfect material for building some the most famous ships in naval history, including Nelson's flagship The Victory.

In winter, George discovers the sophisticated strategies the tree uses to survive gales and bitter frosts. He finds out about the oak's vital role in architecture, showing how some very familiar sights, such as the tower of Salisbury Cathedral, are in fact giant oak structures.

In spring, George investigates how the oak procreates, spreading its pollen through the countryside. He discovers the incredibly sophisticated strategies it uses to withstand savage onslaughts from predators hellbent on eating it alive.

In summer, George uses a high-powered microscope to see the hundreds of species that regard the oak as their home. Humans too rely on the oak for their own form of 'sustenance'. Whisky gets its unique flavours from the oak wood barrels in which it's matured.

Series details

• Title: Oak Tree: Nature's Greatest Survivor
• Format: Documentary
• Language: English
• Genres: Nature
• Premiere date: 2015-10-01
• Final broadcast date listed: 2015-10-01
• Status in TVmaze: Ended
• Network listed by TVmaze: BBC Four
• Network country: United Kingdom
• Typical episode runtime: 90 minutes
• TVMaze ID: 38227
• IMDb ID: tt6959288

Cast and credited roles

• George McGavin — Presenter

Seasons in the TVmaze catalogue

• Season 1: premiered 2015-10-01; final listed air date 2015-10-01; episode order: 2.

Source and licence

Adapted from Oak Tree: Nature's Greatest Survivor on TVmaze. The synopsis is reproduced as plain text; catalogue facts, cast and season records are selected and reformatted. This adapted text is available under CC BY-SA 4.0, following the TVmaze API licence. Network and web-channel credits identify the service listed in this source; they do not establish current streaming availability.