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How Trees Cooperate So the Whole Forest Can Thrive
Debra Redalia
A couple of weeks ago Larry found a film on amazon prime called Intelligent Trees. [This link goes to amazon prime, but I see it is also available elsewhere].
It contains the findings of German forester Peter Wohlleben and Canadian scientist Suzanne Simard , who have been observing and investigating communication between trees for decades. Yes, communication between trees.
They have scientifically observed that trees do not stand alone, but have “friendships” and form “families” in their natural forest habitat. “Mother” trees help “child” trees grow.
And trees of different species help each other as well.
This film shows the difference between forests as designed by Nature, and industrial single species plantation forests, and how the plantation forests do not create original habitat or good quality wood.
The German forester stated that in Germany there is little natural forest habitat left, as most forests that exist today have been affected by the needs of man for centuries.
This is a very good film to watch because it really demonstrates the difference between the processes of Nature and the ways of industrialization and how different they are. It also concludes—as we do—that humans can learn the ways of Nature and interact with forests by following Nature’s ways, so we human can have the wood we need and forest can thrive and renew over and over.
Having seen this film, I now need to comment on the industrial practice of “sustainable forest management.”
A common definition of sustainable forest management is the management of forests according to the principles of sustainable development, which involves keeping the balance between three main pillars: ecological, economic and socio-cultural. More on sustainable forestry.
Hmm. That’s not quite the same as integrating our human actions into the ways of the forest.
And, of course, restoring forest to their original state as found in Nature, and reforesting bare lands will help restore the natural carbon cycle and control global warming.
Read More
YaleEnvironment360: Are Trees Sentient Beings? Certainly, Says German Forester.
