The Heartbeat of Trees: Embracing Our Ancient Bond with Forests and Nature

Forester Wohlleben (The Hidden Life of Trees) takes an eclectic look at humanity’s relationships with trees in this heartfelt survey. To prove that “the ancient tie that binds humans and nature exists to this day and is as strong as ever,” Wohlleben looks at tree worship (including the “marriage of trees” ritual in Italy), common expressions such as “shaking like a leaf,” and the various ways humans use products derived from plants for medication (willow tree bark helps with headaches, for example). He also notes traits shared between plants and humans: a South American vine can see, he argues, as it creates leaves exactly like those of its host tree, and he offers evidence that spruce trees feel pain when attacked by bark beetles. Paramount to Wohlleben is the role forests play in the health of nature and civilization—he mourns the destruction of diverse old-growth forests, and decries modern forestry’s single species “plantations,” where endless cycles of planting, thinning, and clear-cutting destroy the very meaning of forest. Along the way, moving accounts of fellow activists’ efforts to save treasured woodlands bolster his plea that humans should let forests return to their natural state. Nature-minded readers will enjoy this episodic deep dive. (June)