Finding the Mother Tree: Uncovering the Wisdom and Intelligence of the Forest
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- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-06-23 07:50:57
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Suzanne Simard
- ISBN：0241389356
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Summary
A world-leading expert shares her amazing story of discovering the communication that exists between trees， and shares her own story of family and grief。
Dr。 Suzanne Simard was born and raised in the rainforests of British Columbia and has forged a lifelong relationship of love and respect with the trees。 This relationship was the driving force behind her decision to dedicate her life to better understanding the forest and the network that connects the plant life within。
With humour， emotion， and the narrative drive of a lifelong storyteller， Dr。 Simard takes readers on an intimate journey of groundbreaking scientific discovery。 Linking her research to her personal experiences， she recounts her life's work uncovering the Wood Wide Web， the underground mycelium network that connects all the trees and plants within a forest。 It is a network that allows them to share not only nutrients， but information， all of which originates from the hubs called Mother Trees。
Readers will journey with Dr。 Simard into this massive experiment， from dramatic encounters with wildlife to the groundbreaking Aha moments in a lab， from learning how to utilize this network to promote plant growth to what this network can teach us about combatting climate change。 Dramatic， funny， touching， and evocative， Finding the Mother Tree offers an intimate and personal look at discovery。 This book is not about how we can save the trees， but about how the trees might actually save us。
Dr。 Suzanne Simard was born and raised in the rainforests of British Columbia and has forged a lifelong relationship of love and respect with the trees。 This relationship was the driving force behind her decision to dedicate her life to better understanding the forest and the network that connects the plant life within。
With humour， emotion， and the narrative drive of a lifelong storyteller， Dr。 Simard takes readers on an intimate journey of groundbreaking scientific discovery。 Linking her research to her personal experiences， she recounts her life's work uncovering the Wood Wide Web， the underground mycelium network that connects all the trees and plants within a forest。 It is a network that allows them to share not only nutrients， but information， all of which originates from the hubs called Mother Trees。
Readers will journey with Dr。 Simard into this massive experiment， from dramatic encounters with wildlife to the groundbreaking Aha moments in a lab， from learning how to utilize this network to promote plant growth to what this network can teach us about combatting climate change。 Dramatic， funny， touching， and evocative， Finding the Mother Tree offers an intimate and personal look at discovery。 This book is not about how we can save the trees， but about how the trees might actually save us。
Reviews
Jayne Scott
，
Fascinating！ A very interesting biographical account linked to Suzanne’s amazing research and career。 What an incredible lady！ The depth of her dedication and passion for trees and their well being is astounding。
Emilyn
，
Not for those who aren't already somewhat familiar with tree anatomy and processes。 Great book for those who like Wollehben and other popular naturalists。 Not for those who aren't already somewhat familiar with tree anatomy and processes。 Great book for those who like Wollehben and other popular naturalists。 。。。more
Beverlee Jobrack
，
What a wonderful book！ It's about life and understanding our amazing planet。 "There is no moment too small in the world。 Nothing should be lost。 Everything has a purpose。 And everything is in need of care。 This is my creed。 Let us embrace it。 We can watch it rise。 Just like that at any time， all the time wealth and grace will soar。" What a wonderful book！ It's about life and understanding our amazing planet。 "There is no moment too small in the world。 Nothing should be lost。 Everything has a purpose。 And everything is in need of care。 This is my creed。 Let us embrace it。 We can watch it rise。 Just like that at any time， all the time wealth and grace will soar。" 。。。more
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，
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Deb Charlesworth
，
I am very interested in the subject matter of this book---essentially the interconnectedness of trees and plant life。 But I found this book a very tough slog。 First， I didn't expect a narrative about the author's family and personal life， which I found largely uninteresting although some of it provided context for her career choice and research path。 In general， I found the writing style to be not to my taste， and it felt almost as if the book hadn't received much editorial attention。 The last t I am very interested in the subject matter of this book---essentially the interconnectedness of trees and plant life。 But I found this book a very tough slog。 First， I didn't expect a narrative about the author's family and personal life， which I found largely uninteresting although some of it provided context for her career choice and research path。 In general， I found the writing style to be not to my taste， and it felt almost as if the book hadn't received much editorial attention。 The last third of the book was more readable。 。。。more
Karen Dean
，
Yes this book has many terms concerning trees， fungus and more that I was not familiar with but the authors life story intertwined with her quest for answers that affect tree life was fascinating。 Certainly all of creation deserves our respect and care。
Lauren
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"Diversity matters。 And everything in the universe is connected--between the forests and prairies， the land and the water， the sky and the soil， the spirits and the living， the people and all other creatures。" "The eagle suddenly lifted， caught an updraft， and vanished past the peaks。 There is no moment too small in the world。 Nothing should be lost。 Everything has a purpose， and everything is in need of care。 This is my creed。 Let us embrace it。 We can watch it rise。 Just like that， at any time "Diversity matters。 And everything in the universe is connected--between the forests and prairies， the land and the water， the sky and the soil， the spirits and the living， the people and all other creatures。" "The eagle suddenly lifted， caught an updraft， and vanished past the peaks。 There is no moment too small in the world。 Nothing should be lost。 Everything has a purpose， and everything is in need of care。 This is my creed。 Let us embrace it。 We can watch it rise。 Just like that， at any time--all the time--wealth and grace will soar。" "We have the power to shift course。 It's our disconnectedness--and lost understanding about the amazing capacities of nature--that's driving a lot of our despair， and plants in particular are objects of our abuse。 By understanding their sentient qualities， our empathy and lover for trees， plants， and forests will naturally deepen and find innovative solutions。 Turning to the intelligence of nature itself is the key。" 。。。more
Alex
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Fascinating topic， clumsy writing， wish there were more photos of trees/mycelium and less random family photos
Mackenzie
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It wraps scientific study with narrative well。 Having read many scientific papers that leave me trying to stay engaged， it was refreshing to have scientific knowledge embedded in a story。
Jennifer Mangler
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I am fascinated by Simard's work。 It has such profound implications for how we view the world and our place in it。 I am fascinated by Simard's work。 It has such profound implications for how we view the world and our place in it。 。。。more
Jade Chalkley
，
The book was really interesting and had an engaging narrative but the writing can be science heavy and detail oriented at times that make it feel like an academic paper juxtaposed between personal narrative writing。 This style made it really difficult for me to try to get through so I alternated between reading and listening to it on audio book。 It was a good follow up book to other books that have come out recently about mycorrhizal fungi networks in forests but I would not recommend it to some The book was really interesting and had an engaging narrative but the writing can be science heavy and detail oriented at times that make it feel like an academic paper juxtaposed between personal narrative writing。 This style made it really difficult for me to try to get through so I alternated between reading and listening to it on audio book。 It was a good follow up book to other books that have come out recently about mycorrhizal fungi networks in forests but I would not recommend it to someone who is trying to learn about those concepts for the first time。 For someone actively engaged in academic work relating to that subject though I think it is fantastic， and the narrative pieces highlight some of the history and controversy on forestry management as well as the experiences of a female scientists during emerging policy changes among forestry management practices。 。。。more
JDav
，
Five stars for its importance。
Debbie Mcdaniel-lindsey
，
Are you familiar with the words mycelia， mycorrhizal？ I was not。 It’s a testament to Simard’s beautiful writing and pace that she slowly， and cumulatively keeps explaining in a deeper way material I’d never heard of and opened a whole new world to me。 It’s breathtaking！Born into a family of loggers in British Columbia she becomes an observer of what is happening to the forests after clear cutting， and then with data leading the way a champion of a revolutionary view that the roots， fungus， under Are you familiar with the words mycelia， mycorrhizal？ I was not。 It’s a testament to Simard’s beautiful writing and pace that she slowly， and cumulatively keeps explaining in a deeper way material I’d never heard of and opened a whole new world to me。 It’s breathtaking！Born into a family of loggers in British Columbia she becomes an observer of what is happening to the forests after clear cutting， and then with data leading the way a champion of a revolutionary view that the roots， fungus， underground communicate， exchange carbon and other nutrients with other trees of the same and different species， and cooperate instead of compete for resources。 She challenges the policy makers in government。 Eventually she moves to academia and continues her research。 She explains so well how to do field research to answer her questions。The reason I encourage everyone to read her book is she weaves her personal story in a way that illuminates and amplifies her research story。 There is a spiritual story as well。 If you ever needed an example of why humans are not placed on this earth to dominate and take whatever they need from its resources her stories make clear that argument as well。I will forever walk in the woods in a different way。 Than you Suzanne Simard。 。。。more
Tom Loberto
，
Great mix of science and personal narrative。
Laura
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What a wonderful memoir and so many strands of beauty in the science and the life story。
Andrew Howdle
，
Suzanne Simard's book is a worthwhile and fascinating read。 As a book， however， it crosses genres and this isn't totally successful。 Memoir and science are tricky elements to combine。 Other admirable books read recently have struggled too。 Autobiography tends to expose dull factuality and scientific objectivity can make the author's own life become dry。 Towards the close of Finding the Mother Tree， Simard contemplates a TEDyouth talk。 Should she keep it scientific and plain （appear as an esteeme Suzanne Simard's book is a worthwhile and fascinating read。 As a book， however， it crosses genres and this isn't totally successful。 Memoir and science are tricky elements to combine。 Other admirable books read recently have struggled too。 Autobiography tends to expose dull factuality and scientific objectivity can make the author's own life become dry。 Towards the close of Finding the Mother Tree， Simard contemplates a TEDyouth talk。 Should she keep it scientific and plain （appear as an esteemed scientist） or anthropomorphise her subject （appear as a science communicator）？ She decides to anthropomorphise her talk， for the sake of connectivity， and talk of trees as "mothers" with "children" and capable of forming protective "families。" This decision highlights a central issue of Finding the Mother Tree。 How to relate to the reader。The first quarter of the book is absorbing。 Simard describes the history of her family and their connection to logging and how this transmuted into her scientific passion for trees。 Emotion and science fit together well。 Then the book falters。 The signs of this are an early talk on forestry。 The talk is described， but without characterisation: the purpose of the talk was to get research across。 And the book starts to replicate this large scale。 Experiment after experiment is described， fact after fact， with bits of life thrown in -- a narrow escape from forest bears。 There becomes a point where measuring trees， and knowing their girth in centimetres， becomes dull。 Without a doubt， the MA and Ph。D thesis material was groundbreaking。 Unfortunately， it does not trailblaze the world of prose。 The final quarter of the book returns to the opening section。 Simard's cancer diagnosis， a result of her experiments at a time when safety procedures were not so stringent， develops a poetic bond between her and the natural world， mother nature。 In many ways， the book plays out what lies behind her research。 Approaches to forestry were male and patriarchal。 The approach of Simard， which is based on co-operation rather than competition and supremacy （good old patriarchal concepts）， was against the norm。 The more Simard writes with eco-feminism in mind the stronger her book becomes for the reader because it grows out of her values and her life。 Ultimately， the book presents Simard as a courageous， tenacious， and caring scientist of extraordinary intelligence。 But Finding the Mother Tree is unbalanced and unsure if it is being written for the scientific community or the common reader。 。。。more
smalltownbookmom
，
A fascinating memoir about one Canadian researcher's career studying the interconnectedness of trees and what they can teach us about life。 Part memoir， part environmental/nature book and 100% engrossing。 I was a little nervous the subject matter would get dry but the author does a great job relating the science in understandable ways and includes anecdotes about her personal and family life。 Highly recommend for fans of Braiding sweetgrass， Not on my watch or The heartbeat of trees。Favorite quo A fascinating memoir about one Canadian researcher's career studying the interconnectedness of trees and what they can teach us about life。 Part memoir， part environmental/nature book and 100% engrossing。 I was a little nervous the subject matter would get dry but the author does a great job relating the science in understandable ways and includes anecdotes about her personal and family life。 Highly recommend for fans of Braiding sweetgrass， Not on my watch or The heartbeat of trees。Favorite quotes:"I was born to the wild， I come from the wild。 I can't tell if my blood is in the trees or if the trees are in my blood。 That's why it was up to me to find out why the seedlings were fading into corpses。""We must heed the answers we're being given。 I believe this kind of transformative thinking is what will save us。。。We can continue pushing our earth out of balance， with greenhouse gases accelerating each year， or we can regain balance by acknowledging that if we harm one species， one forest， one lake， this ripples through the entire complex web。 Mistreatment of one species is mistreatment of all。 The rest of the planet has been waiting patiently for us to figure that out。" 。。。more
Luke Spooner
，
Typical moi， I loved a book about trees。 The science is really cool （mychorriza！） and so is the author's personal story。 Some prof's from UNBC and local communities are also referenced。 Typical moi， I loved a book about trees。 The science is really cool （mychorriza！） and so is the author's personal story。 Some prof's from UNBC and local communities are also referenced。 。。。more
Mike Clarken
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Really a great voice and personal story interwoven into the history of this important scientific journey， but I had a very hard time being motivated to read after about 2/3 the way through。
Lynne
，
DNF。。。。just could not get into this book。。。maybe at another time。。。
Gary Shea
，
A pleasure to read， thoughtful and informative。
Claudia
，
This was a mixture of autobiography and scientific study which worked well for me some， but not all of the time。I loved the scientific part of the story and the wonderful research done by the author into the connectedness of trees and mycorrhizal fungi in the forest world。 Her insight is really a gift to us all。 The autobiographical aspect of the novel was important as a story of the challenges a young woman scientist in a mostly male field had/has to face。 I got overwhelmed with her personal st This was a mixture of autobiography and scientific study which worked well for me some， but not all of the time。I loved the scientific part of the story and the wonderful research done by the author into the connectedness of trees and mycorrhizal fungi in the forest world。 Her insight is really a gift to us all。 The autobiographical aspect of the novel was important as a story of the challenges a young woman scientist in a mostly male field had/has to face。 I got overwhelmed with her personal story some of the time， making it hard to see the forest for the trees。 。。。more
Mackay
，
I didn't expect the moving memoir aspects of this book when I picked it up， but the story of Simard's life is the armature that holds the whole together and makes it readable。 The Hidden Life of Trees may be more famous， a world-wide phenomenon， but that book's thesis is largely based on Simard's research and careful science （and her long struggles to be heard in a science/industry complex dominated by men）。 It's a sad book， in a way， showing too clearly the havoc mankind has wreaked， and still I didn't expect the moving memoir aspects of this book when I picked it up， but the story of Simard's life is the armature that holds the whole together and makes it readable。 The Hidden Life of Trees may be more famous， a world-wide phenomenon， but that book's thesis is largely based on Simard's research and careful science （and her long struggles to be heard in a science/industry complex dominated by men）。 It's a sad book， in a way， showing too clearly the havoc mankind has wreaked， and still wreaks， on the natural world upon which all life is dependent。 But it's also a hopeful book， showing the way forward in times of anthropogenic climate change。 Wonderful photos illustrate the whole， and if designing an proper science experiment to last years and decades isn't your thing， you can skim those bits and still gain insight and knowledge， so that you'll never experience a tree or a forest in the same way。 。。。more
Jemima Pett
，
Review to follow
David Thompson
，
This is an enjoyable book combining research with personal story。 I recommend it highly。
Dahlgren General Library
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DA100000031245
Goldie
，
Having worked on a scientific study having to do with oak communication， I was excited to see this wonderfully readable account of Suzanne Simard's extensive studies of tree communication， interwoven with her more personal story。 Not just readable， binge-able。 Not just binge-able but deeply moving。 These kind of books are why I read。 Having worked on a scientific study having to do with oak communication， I was excited to see this wonderfully readable account of Suzanne Simard's extensive studies of tree communication， interwoven with her more personal story。 Not just readable， binge-able。 Not just binge-able but deeply moving。 These kind of books are why I read。 。。。more
Joan
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I loved this book。 I loved the author。 And I loved that she narrated her book herself on Audible。 The label says the genre is Environmental Science。 It’s also a memoir of Simard’s life as a forest scientist in what was a “man’s world” with strict beliefs and ways of doing things that a woman was not going to be allowed to challenge。 But challenge she did， tentatively at first， then more robustly， as her precisely designed experiments showed irrefutable results。 Simard’s work has had a huge impac I loved this book。 I loved the author。 And I loved that she narrated her book herself on Audible。 The label says the genre is Environmental Science。 It’s also a memoir of Simard’s life as a forest scientist in what was a “man’s world” with strict beliefs and ways of doing things that a woman was not going to be allowed to challenge。 But challenge she did， tentatively at first， then more robustly， as her precisely designed experiments showed irrefutable results。 Simard’s work has had a huge impact on the way forests are managed because they changed the way we understand tree communities。 This book， written for non-scientists like me， is beautiful， frustrating， and triumphant。 In cheering for her to win her battles， I was also cheering for the “mother trees”， for the forests， and for our wounded earth。 。。。more
Alex
，
This book is at times both too “woo woo” for me and too scientific， and yet it does a wonderful job of weaving the two together。 More memoir than anything else。 You’ll wonder why she’s going on and on about her brother and not talking about trees and fungus， but stick with it。 The story comes back around， and continues to do so again a and again， making for something far more relatable and far more meaningful than you’d think a book about trees could be。
Peter Tillman
，