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samdalefox 's review for:
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate
by Peter Wohlleben
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
I loved this book. It's easily readable, informative, and inspiring. It made me look at and appreciate trees in a whole new light. Since finishing the book, several of the concepts and factoids have stayed with me and I delightedly blurt them out to people in conversation and actively stop to observe trees. I would definitely like to learn more about forests and reforestation. For those in the UK I recommend browsing the Woodland Trust website, they have a good section on our ancient woodlands.
Parts I found particularly interesting. Well everything. Wohlleben did an excellent job of describing how the forest systems are dependant upon each other. This isn't just a book about trunks, leaves, and roots. It's about the 'wood wide web' fungal system, how do trees communicate, feel pain, sense time, sense light, protect themselves, how do insects and animals co-habit within forests, mosses, lichen, and diversity. I also appreciated that Wohlleben noted where science is still researching the answers, and suggestions on what the future for forests should look like:
Parts I found particularly interesting. Well everything. Wohlleben did an excellent job of describing how the forest systems are dependant upon each other. This isn't just a book about trunks, leaves, and roots. It's about the 'wood wide web' fungal system, how do trees communicate, feel pain, sense time, sense light, protect themselves, how do insects and animals co-habit within forests, mosses, lichen, and diversity. I also appreciated that Wohlleben noted where science is still researching the answers, and suggestions on what the future for forests should look like:
- Conservation - Protecting a percentage from all interference
- Silviculture (aka plenterwälder)
- Coexistence with forests - community based forestry
- Species appropriate treatment/management in their ideal habitat
- Breaking down moral barriers between animals and plants
The reason this is not 5 stars is that even as someone who respects and wants to learn about nature, I am a city girl, and have very little knowledge of plants and trees. Although the text is very accessible, having pictures, diagrams, or photos would have enhanced my enjoyment and understanding even more. Instead, every few pages I had to google "what does a fir/silver beech/oak etc. look like?" like the novice I am.
Favourite quotes:
"In these times of dramatic environmental upheaval, our yearning for undisturbed nature is increasing".
"We like to apply our own situation to others, we overlook the fact that an (intact forest) has completely different priorities /needs"
"The main reason we misunderstand trees, however, is that they are so incredibly slow"
"This is what this ecosystem achieves: the fullness of life with tens of thousands of species interwoven and interdependent" (and processes e.g. leaves, acidity, plankton production in oceans, food chain)