Treebeard, also known as Fangorn, was the oldest of the Ents, a tree-like being who was
a sort of "shepherd of trees". Very tall and stiff-limbed, with bark-like skin and leafy
hair, like most Ents, Treebeard took a long time to make up his mind. He repeatedly
spoke of not "being hasty".
Treebeard is described along with Tom Bombadil as the oldest being in Middle-earth. By
the later Third Age, he lived in Fangorn Forest, which was named
after him (or he after it).
Treebeard was the eldest person of Middle-earth, obviously being created along with the
Ents during the Years of the Trees, before the creation of the stars; although he said
that there were trees in Fangorn that were "older than he".
His realm was the immense forest that spanned from Beleriand and Eriador to Calenardhon
and saw it destroyed and diminishing by the centuries. From the Elder Days, Treebeard had
memories of the willow-meads of Tasarinan, the elm-woods of Ossiriand, the pine-trees of
Dorthonion and the beeches of Neldoreth.
He was with his beloved Fimbrethil, but as with all of the other Entwives, she left for
the gardens of the Entwives, and had been missing ever since, especially after Sauron's
forces destroyed those lands in the Second Age.
The forests of the Ents diminished and Fangorn Forest was one of their remnants, where
Treebeard and other Ents retreated. There he kept his Ent-houses one of which was the
Wellinghall in the flanks of Methedras.
During the War of the Ring, in 29 February T.A. 3019 he discovered Meriadoc Brandybuck
("Merry") and Peregrin Took ("Pippin") after they escaped
from Orcs. He welcomed them to the Wellinghall. The hobbits brought news of the Wizard
Saruman's treachery and his Orcs damaging the trees, but Treebeard already knew of these
disasters.
The Ents—usually a very patient, deliberate people—did become angry at Saruman, whose
armies were cutting down large numbers of their trees. Treebeard convened an Entmoot,
a meeting of the Ents at Derndingle.
After lengthy deliberation Treebeard led them marching on Saruman's fortress at Isengard
in March 3, accompanied by the two Hobbits: the last march of the Ents. In the Battle of
Isengard they destroyed the valley and trapped Saruman in the tower of Orthanc. Treebeard
appointed the two Hobbits door-wardens of Orthanc. There Treebeard also saw Wormtongue
who brought a message for Saruman, and caught him and captured him inside Orthanc.[3]
Two days later they were soon joined by a company of Rohirrim with Gandalf, returning
victorious from the Battle of the Hornburg. After deposing Saruman, Gandalf asked
Treebeard to pour back the water into Orthanc so that Saruman can never escape.
Treebeard declared that trees would return and that the new forest would be called
the "Watchwood".
The following months the Ents destroyed the Ring of Isengard, filling it with trees;
Treebeard saw the flight of many Orcs who met their doom in the forest. He kept their
prisoner informed, who would come to the window of Orthanc to listen.
Eventually the Wizard withered away and eventually managed to make the Ents pity him,
and on August 15 they let them leave Isengard. However, before he left, Treebeard made
him lock the tower and hand over the key of Orthanc. A week later Treebeard welcomed
Gandalf, King Elessar and company at Orthanc, and related these news.
Presumably Treebeard stayed for some time in the Treegarth of Orthanc, which King Elessar
declared an Entish realm.
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