“As gripping as any HBO drama series,” states the Observer newspaper about the new book by British Columbia forest ecologist Suzanne Simard.  The book, published earlier this month, has received rave reviews from the Guardian, Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post.   The book takes on particular relevance for ABRA as it embarks on developing the National Forest Integrity Project as part of our new Conservation Hub program.

Here is an excerpt from the book’s introduction:

“I set out on scientific expeditions to figure out where we had gone so very wrong and to unlock the mysteries of why the land mended itself when left to its own devices. The trees soon revealed startling secrets.  I discovered that they are in a web of interdependence, linked by a system of underground channels, where they perceive and connect and relate with an ancient intricacy and wisdom that can no longer be denied.”

“The old trees nurture the young ones and provide them food and water just as we do with our own children.  It is enough to make one pause, take a deep breath, and contemplate the social nature of the forest and how this is critical for evolution. The fungal network appears to wire the trees for fitness.  And more.  These old trees are mothering their children.  The Mother Trees.

 

Book recommendation: Finding the Mother Tree
Tagged on: