Play Book Tag discussion

I’ve never been Nature Nancy (I get itchy just thinking about hiking in the forest), so my current interest in trees and nature might be surprising to people who’ve known me for a long time. I started this book a few years ago and it was a revelation. I didn’t get more than half-way through, but it was enough to spark an interest that continued to grow. Since then, I learned a lot more about how important trees are for the health of the entire planet. I’m also in a neighborhood full of ash trees that were dying because of the Emerald Ash borer. So I was enthusiastic when someone suggested this book in my bookclub, and I just started over. Some chapters were fascinating, and some were a little boring, so I read just a few chapters at a time. I was reading other books about trees, nature, and ecology at the same time, and each book enriched my appreciation of the others.

I loved the descriptions of how trees communicate, share resources, compete, and cooperate with one another for the long-term benefit of them all. Some trees live longer among others of their kind, and some do fine alone. A forest is not just a collection of separate trees, they are often connected through their roots, fungi and many other things. An old forest is an amazing thing, and it’s not easy to replicate. An old forest is a huge community of trees, plants, fungi, bugs, animals, and wetlands that all work together to help one another thrive. If you introduce a new bug or take away key animals, you change the balance which can lead to drastic and unexpected changes (it can even change the way a river flows).*

One of the last chapters had a section on hazards such as ice and lightening, and how different trees are affected. My husband was walking through the room while I was listening to a section on lightening, and we both said “woah!” at the same time. One Douglas Fir was hit by lightning, and ten other trees connected to it through the roots also died! The water inside conducted the electricity. When an oak tree is hit by lightning, it’s rough bark will show scars, but it will usually survive. Some trees are used in environmental remediation to suck up certain chemicals in the ground water, to keep the chemicals from spreading to other properties.

*Actually, the river flow example might have come from another book by the same author - The Secret Wisdom of Nature. Libby took it back before I could finish it. (Sorry. I waited too long to write this review.)

edit - Or it was from an Elizabeth Kolbert book, or both.

I’m reading this at the moment too Nancy and have a similar reaction - not all of it is equally interesting and some I’ve heard before but there’s some really interesting stuff in there. And I do like the gently humorous writing style - his metaphors are cute

KateNZ wrote: "I’m reading this at the moment too Nancy and have a similar reaction - not all of it is equally interesting and some I’ve heard before but there’s some really interesting stuff in there. And I do l..."

Gently humorous. Yes. That comes out in the narration too. Even if I tune out for a minute while listening, it pulls me back in shortly. I'm going to replay it at bedtime to get reminders for the book club discussion this week.