Forester Peter Green is hanging up his axe after 43 years amid the trees he loves.

At 59, he is one of the longest-serving foresters on the North York Moors, joining the Forestry Commission soon after leaving school. But his career has not just been about nurturing woodland. He also introduced it to the world of rock'n'roll.

He masterminded big summer concerts in Dalby Forest, which began in 2001, featuring bands such as Status Quo, Pulp and Jools Holland. Last year's two gigs attracted a record crowd of more than 7,000 revellers.

"It's impossible to imagine what my old boss would have made of me staging concerts in the woods," said Mr Green.

"Back in the 1960s it was all about growing the best quality timber we could and making sure rabbits and deer didn't eat the trees. But things have changed out of all recognition. These days I'm just as used to talking to music agents as timber merchants. I'll certainly miss the buzz."

Born in a village near Clitheroe, now Lancashire, he started his life-long passion for trees in the nearby Forest of Bowland.

He went to college to train in forestry and then moved to Wykeham, near Scarborough, where the Forestry Commission has one of its biggest nurseries.

He has overseen the planting of millions of trees, supervised felling operations and looked after many historic monuments in the wood.

Mr Green, who lives in Pickering, is married to Dorothy and has two daughters. His Forestry Commission colleague, Paul Cody, 44, takes over as district forester and concert organiser.