The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate―Discoveries from A Secret World: 1 (The Mysteries of Nature, 1) Hardcover – Illustrated, 29 Sept. 2016

Excellent book based on careful academic research. The author (a state employed forester) found that managing a forest by medieval methods actually made it more productive - modern forest management methods are less effective and may have a detrimental long term impact. Full of interesting information with references to the pertinent academic papers, yet simultaneously easy to read.

A novel and accessible anthropomorphic lens on forests and trees.Truly astounding scientific discoveries laid out in clear chapters. Highly recommended!

I had been meaning to read The Hidden Life of Trees for some time now, and finally made the opportunity. Broadly speaking, it did not disappoint, except in two specific areas that I'll talk about later.Peter Wohlleben has worked with trees for years, mostly in Germany, and is convinced that they exhibit behaviours far more complex than we usually reckon, behaviours that we normally associate with higher animals and birds than with plants. He describes how they communicate, both chemically through scent and electrically via their root systems and fungal symbiotes. They can also support each other in times of hardship and old age, count daylight hours, perceive environmental changes and opportunities, and remember important facts in order to shape future actions. It all makes for fascinating reading, and the material is well worth exploring.What also came home to me was how little we know about the life of trees, largely because the timescale they live on is so slow compared to ours. But another factor which Peter highlights many times is that many of us never meet a tree in its natural state - as one part in a naturally regulated and extensive forest. Isolated trees, or those in small stands, or those living in managed woodland, are all constrained to live unnatural lives, so their growth and actions are as distorted from natural as ours would be if we were kept away from human company as we grew up. It's a rather sobering thought, that our typical treatment of trees might easily be considered cruelty.Peter also highlights areas where our grasp of ordinary tree biology is very weak. It is common knowledge that trees draw water and nutrients out of the soil using their roots, and deliver it to their leaves and growing shoots - for some trees this is a journey of tens, or even a couple of hundred feet. It comes as a surprise to read that we don't actually know how they do this, and that the normal explanations of osmosis, capillary action, or transpiration cannot possibly account for the heights reached.One of the most vivid parts was Peter's attempt to get to linguistic grips with the slowness of the life cycles of trees. He describes very effectively the grand migrations of forests south and north as the ice ages have come and gone, and the stages by which newly available soil is occupied first by the little plants, then by comparatively fast outlier trees, and finally by the true forests. On this timescale, some kinds of trees help one another and grow together, while others hinder and displace each other. It would make a good game, perhaps, as well as a good read, in which environmental and other external changes drive constant accommodation and negotiation.I mentioned two things that put me off the book. The first is the writing style, which for the first half is quite pedestrian. I fully appreciate that Peter may not be writing in his native language, and the wealth of ideas kept me persevering when the writing was dull - perhaps it would have been good to have employed a co-writer to help. The second was that I would have really liked some speculation about causes, in the many areas where we don't know for sure. Peter seems committed to writing only what he is confident can be tied to evidence - which is a worthy goal in itself - but given his great experience in the field, I would have liked it more if he had included his guesses, intuitions, and suppositions.All things considered, though, The Hidden Life of Trees is a fascinating book to delve into, perhaps as a starting point for other reading.

I have to say this is one of the most interesting books I have ever read. I am biased, trees have been a big part of my life but on almost every page there is new fact which has surprised or intrigued me.It is interesting how this book has divided opinion with some people thinking much of it to be unsubstantiated and promoting ideas which are rubbish or crazyFirstly there are a lot of scientific and research papers quoted to back up statements in the book - so don't quite go along with those who complain it doesn't. Yes the author does have some quite interesting and radical views on trees and how we should view this form of life. Personally I welcomed this and it is the main reason I bought the book. There is much we don't know about trees and I suspect there will be much more we do learn in the near future. We base all our understanding and judgement of life on the fact that a central brain and nervous system must be a higher form of life than one without - because that is what we know. It does not mean other forms of life could not be just as sophisticated in a different way. You don't have to agree with the author but I found his ideas refreshing and thought provoking.If you want a boring book full of how to identify trees from leaves and bark then don't buy this. If you want a book that is going to try and make you think in a different way about the very different but fascinating life forms we share this planet with and encounter every day - then read it.

Brilliant Book

I enjoyed this book very much - it certainly gives you a a different perspective on how trees grow and interact with each other and the environment.It's written in an engaging and accessible style, and structured so that you can dip in and out easily - the contents and index pages are very helpful in this respect. I actually read a couple of later chapters first as the titles sounded interesting, before returning to the beginning again. I also liked the way that page numbers are shown on the upper edges of the pages rather than at the bottom (apart from the first page in each chapter). There are a handful of good line drawings but I did feel that it was too sparsely illustrated; it's just a very minor criticism, though, as the text is the primary reason you'll buy this book - there are plenty of other books that illustrate trees in great detail. The physical quality of the book is very good, too - nice binding and paper, and a font that I found easy on the eye.As a companion to this book I also bought Understanding Roots: Discover How to Make Your Garden Flourish as I've always wondered what goes on underground - this gives a wonderful insight into the world of roots and was well worth buying too.

An excellent and inspiring read. Well worth the effort. The ideas and concepts discussed are simply worth the effort to read.