Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
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Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
by Suzanne Simard, 368 pages, 6½x9½, paperback. Simard has an all-too-rare gift not just for looking closely, but for seeing closely and for showing us what she has seen. Her discovery is that life is not competition; life is cooperation. The forest is not a collection of trees standing tall and apart, but a vast web of resources shared between the mother tree and her offspring; between trees of one species and another; and between trees and the fungi that pass water and nutrition from those who have to those who are wanting. Simard’s lifework has been to get others, especially those in the logging industry, to grasp the web of cooperation that creates a thriving, healthy forest.
As fascinating as the science in this book is, this is not a science book. It is a story of discovery and growth, of sadness and joy, about the richness of life, both arboreal and human. A Bildungsroman with the added value of being true. The sense of wonder and the warmth Simard imparts are uplifting. As she says in her introduction, “This is not a book about how we can save trees. This is a book about how trees can save us.” -David Shipman
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Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest
