J.R.R. Tolkien called the tree-shepherds in The Lord of the Rings Ents.
The Ents are ancient, tree-like beings who guard the forests of Middle-earth. Their best-known leader is Treebeard, whose long conversations with Merry and Pippin appear in The Two Towers. Ents speak slowly and carefully, reflecting both their age and Tolkien’s interest in language and natural imagery.
The Ents take action against Saruman after discovering the destruction caused by his industrialization of Isengard. Their assault on Isengard is one of the major turning points in the book. The Entwives, who cultivated gardens and agriculture, are a related but distinct part of their history.
Huorns are sometimes confused with Ents because both are connected with trees and forests. Tolkien presents them as different kinds of beings, although the boundary between them is not always sharply explained. “Ent” itself comes from an Old English word meaning giant or creature.