Which fictional people did J.R.R. Tolkien call the Ents in The Lord of the Rings?

J.R.R. Tolkien called the Ents “tree shepherds” in The Lord of the Rings.

The Ents are ancient, tree-like beings who care for and protect the forests of Middle-earth. Their name comes from an Old English word meaning a giant or being, and Tolkien connected them with the wider linguistic and mythological interests that shaped his fiction.

Treebeard, also called Fangorn, is the best-known Ent. He leads the Ents during their assault on Isengard after learning how Saruman’s forces have destroyed forests and harmed Entwives’ lands.

Ents are not simply ordinary talking trees. They are a distinct people with their own language, long memories, and deliberately slow decision-making. Tolkien’s phrase “tree shepherds” captures their protective role and helps distinguish them from the Huorns, a related but more mysterious forest population.