The Hidden Life of Trees by Peter Wohlleben

A forester’s fascinating stories, supported by the latest scientific research, reveal the extraordinary world of forests and illustrate how trees communicate with and care for each other.

In The Hidden Life of Trees, Peter Wohlleben 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.

As a result of such interactions, trees in a family or community are protected and can live to be very old. In contrast, solitary trees, like street kids, have a tough time of it and, in most cases, dies much earlier than those in a group.

In this international bestseller, Wohlleben shares his deep love of woods and forests and explains the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration of which we are blissfully unaware. With this newfound understanding of the delightfully complex life of trees, readers will never be able to take a walk in the woods the same way again.

A book called The Hidden Life of Trees is not an obvious bestseller but it’s easy to see the popular appeal of German forester Peter Wohlleben’s claims – they are so anthropomorphic. Certainly, a walk in the park feels different when you imagine the network of roots crackling with sappy chat beneath your feet. We don’t know the half of what’s going on underground and beneath the bark, he says: “We have been looking at nature for the last 100 years like [it is] a machine.” Tim Lusher - The Guardian.