"From the internationally bestselling author of The Hidden Life of Trees
An illuminating manifesto on ancient forests: how they adapt to climate change by passing their wisdom through generations, and why our future lies in protecting them.
In his beloved book The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben revealed astonishing discoveries about the social networks of trees and how they communicate. Now, in The Power of Trees, he turns to their future, with a searing critique of forestry management, tree planting and the exploitation of old growth forests.
As human-caused climate change devastates the planet, forests play a critical role in keeping it habitable. While politicians and business leaders would have us believe that cutting down forests can be offset by mass tree planting, Wohlleben offers a warning: many tree planting schemes lead to ecological disaster. Not only are these trees more susceptible to disease, flooding, fires and landslides, we need to understand that forests are more than simply a collection of trees. Instead, they are ecosystems that consist of thousands of species, from animals to fungi and bacteria. The way to save trees, and ourselves? Step aside and let forests – which are naturally better equipped to face environmental challenges – heal themselves.
With the warmth and wonder familiar to readers from his previous books, Wohlleben also shares emerging scientific research about how forests shape climates both locally and across continents; that trees adapt to changing environmental conditions through passing knowledge down to their offspring; and how old growth may in fact have the most survival strategies for climate change.
At the heart of The Power of Trees lies Wohlleben's passionate plea: that our survival is dependent on trusting ancient forests and allowing them to thrive."
"FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER, THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES
‘A simultaneously stimulating and soothing blend of nature writing and science … Strongly encourages tree hugging for our own, human sake’ Guardian Summer Reads 2021
A powerful return to the forest, where trees have heartbeats and roots are like brains that extend underground. Where the colour green calms us, and the forest sharpens our senses.
In The Heartbeat of Trees, renowned forester Peter Wohlleben draws on new scientific discoveries to show how humans are deeply connected to the natural world. In an era of climate change, many of us fear we’ve lost our connection to nature, but Wohlleben is convinced that age-old ties linking humans to the forest remain alive and intact. We just have to know where to look.
Drawing on science and cutting-edge research, The Heartbeat of Trees reveals the profound interactions humans can have with nature, exploring:
- the language of the forest
- the consciousness of plants
- and the eroding boundary between flora and fauna
A perfect book to take with you into the woods, The Heartbeat of Trees shares how to see, feel, smell, hear, and even taste the forest.
Peter Wohlleben, renowned for his ability to write about trees in an engaging and moving way, reveals a wondrous cosmos where humans are a part of nature, and where conservation and environmental activism is not just about saving trees, it’s about saving ourselves, too."
"Random House presents the audiobook edition of The Inner Life of Animals by Peter Wohlleben, read by Thomas Judd.
Mother deer that grieve?
Horses that feel shame?
Squirrels that adopt their grandchildren?
We humans tend to assume that we are the only living things able to experience feelings intensely and consciously. But have you ever wondered what’s going on in an animal’s head?
From the leafy forest floor to the inside of a bee hive, The Inner Life of Animals takes us microscopic levels of observation to the big philosophical, ethical and scientific questions. We hear the stories of a grateful humpback whale, of a hedgehog who has nightmares, and of a magpie who commits adultery; we meet bees that plan for the future, pigs who learn their own names and crows that go tobogganing for fun. And at last we find out why wasps exist.
As more and more researchers are discovering, animals experience a rich emotional life that is ready to be explored. The Inner Life of Animals will show you these living things in a new light and will open up the animal kingdom like never before."
"Sunday Times Bestseller
‘A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement’ Charles Foster
Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month (September)
Are trees social beings? How do trees live? Do they feel pain or have awareness of their surroundings?
In The Hidden Life of Trees Peter Wohlleben makes the case that the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death and regeneration he has observed in his woodland.
A walk in the woods will never be the same again.
For those in the UK with a passion for top books on nature, Wohlleben's great work merges the worlds of plants, gardening, and general ecology into an absorbing narrative that underscores the importance of environmental conservation and protection. It is a significant addition to the literary conversation on how we interact with the living world around us. For fans of Suzanne Simard (Finding the Mother Tree), Tristan Gooley (How to Read a Tree), Merlin Sheldrake (Entangled Life) and Isabella Tree (Wilding) and Robin Wall Kimmerer (Braiding Sweetgrass)."
