On the other hand, birds play an integral role in plant reproduction by spreading seeds over long distances. When a woodpecker drills holes into a tree’s bark, the tree is then susceptible to rot or an invasion of fungi. Is technological advancement working with nature or against it?ĥ. In the forest that he works with in Hümmel, he has banned machines and only allows log removal by horses. Wohlleben mentions how a number of forest conservationist methods that help trees in the short-term actually damage a forest’s health in the long-term. How does this relationship reflect or parallel the one that humans have with the Internet?Ĥ. However, they can also damage trees by invading the bark and causing rot. Fungi, while functioning as the “wood wide web” for trees, can allow them to communicate and share crucial survival information. What is it about the present that makes nature a popular topic right now?ģ. The Hidden Life of Trees became a surprise bestseller, earning a place on the New York Times and many regional bestseller lists. Science often takes these words out, but then you have a language people can’t relate to and can’t understand.” In what ways is the anthropomorphism of trees effective in The Hidden Life of Trees?Ģ. When asked why Wohlleben chose to anthropomorphize trees, he said, “I use words of emotion to connect with people’s experience. As he says, a happy forest is a healthy forest, and he believes that eco-friendly 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.įrom the publisher’s Reading Group Choices:ġ. Drawing on groundbreaking new discoveries, Wohlleben presents the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities he describes how these discoveries have informed his own practices in the forest around him. 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.

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. From Hoopla: 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.

The hidden life of trees book summary