Ann-Christine and I share a love of trees. I’m glad for her challenge subject today.
Much of the wisdom of the natural world is about how to sustain life in harmony with others. It turns out that Trees are no exception. They share a unique kind of communication via threads of fungi and operate as a living community. That discovery changes the way I see forests and individual trees completely.
“A tree can be only as strong as the forest that surrounds it.”
― The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate
“It appears that nutrient exchange and helping neighbors in times of need is the rule, and this leads to the conclusion that forests are superorganisms with interconnections much like ant colonies.”
― The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World
“We have learned that mother trees recognize and talk with their kin, shaping future generations. In addition, injured trees pass their legacies on to their neighbors, affecting gene regulation, defense chemistry, and resilience in the forest community.”
― The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from A Secret World
“If a tree falls in the forest there are other trees listening.”
― The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World
I feel now more than ever how important it is to conserve larger tracts of land containing whole forests, especially mature growth forests. It’s not enough to plant a tree in the yard. Trees are the lungs of the planet, breathing the oxygen that we all depend on into our world.
“An organism that is too greedy and takes too much without giving anything in return destroys what it needs for life.”
― The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World
scillagrace 
I have read extracts from his book – very interesting and humbling. From feeling the tree and its trunk, its leaves and its life – I feel its energies too. Leaning against, touching – I know how alive they are. Thank you for a beautiful post, Scilla!
A local farmer gifted the book to me as a thank you for my conservation work with a land trust. I find it a truly inspiring gift.
It really is – I should have read the whole book.
Have you read The Overstory by Richard Powers? He won the Pulitzer last month and his book is all about trees and how they support each other and the humans who try to destroy them. I loved your quotes and must read the book you’ve quoted. Images are wonderful too
No; I will look that up. Thank you!
Love your fabulous story-telling tree series. Wonderful quote and beautiful tree images!
Thanks, Amy! I appreciate the opportunity to “speak for the trees”, as the Lorax would say.
Beautiful photos. The first one I love the best. It’s like a painting.
That’s an old growth stand called The Lost Forty in MN. It was passed over for logging because the surveyors reported a lake there by mistake.
Great color.
One of the greatest perks of living in the Midwest is Fall color!