The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

The only reason I give this book four stars and not five is because his biggest strength is also, perhaps, his biggest (or most important) weakness. Like many science books for the masses he takes a good deal of information and distills it well for the amateur forester and part-time tree-hugger. He captures the imagination and translates his vision well. “An organism that is too greedy and takes too much without giving anything in return destroys what it needs for life.” ― Peter Wohlleben, The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben has written a beautiful book on trees.

As he says, a happy forest is a healthy forest, and he believes that ecofriendly practices not only are economically sustainable but also benefit the health of our planet and the mental and physical health of all who live on Earth.Īfter a walk through the woods with Wohlleben, you'll never look at trees the same way again.

In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it and in most cases die much earlier than those in a group.ĭrawing on groundbreaking new discoveries, Wohlleben presents the science behind the secret and previously unknown lives of trees and their communication abilities he describes how these discoveries have informed his own practices in the forest around him. As a result of such interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be very old. Much like human families, tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them and support them as they grow, sharing nutrients with those who are sick or struggling and creating an ecosystem that mitigates the impact of extremes of heat and cold for the whole group. In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death and regeneration he has observed in the woodland and the amazing scientific processes behind the wonders, of which we are blissfully unaware. In The Hidden Life of Trees, forester Peter Wohlleben puts groundbreaking scientific discoveries into a language everyone can relate to. How do trees live? Do they feel pain or have awareness of their surroundings? Research is now suggesting trees are capable of much more than we have ever known.

The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben