“The Hidden Life of Trees” is a book written by Peter Wohlleben.  Published in 2015, the book is Wohlleben’s account of how trees communicate with one another and interact with their environment.  Peter Wohlleben had been fascinated with trees for his entire life and involved in environmental protection and forestry for over 30 years.  Wohlleben began writing books in 2007 about the relationships between trees and the ecosystem.  “The Forest: An Obituary” and “Forest Without Guardians: In the Stranglehold of Hunting Interests and Forestry” were some of his earliest works.  Despite releasing 15 books previous to “The Hidden Life of Trees”, Wohlleben only first found true success on the latter title.  Selling a million copies in Germany and over 3 million worldwide, he gained international fame over his scientific conclusions that trees were similar to families in a sense that they supported other trees and their ecosystem in more complex ways then previously known.  Wohlleben’s delivery of this information to a mainstream audience was unprecedented and his writing elicited an emotional reaction from readers that created a newfound sense of care and sympathy for a previously overlooked form of life.

In 2020, “The Hidden Life of Trees” was turned into a studio production and released to audiences.  The film was followed by extreme praise, and it was acclaimed worldwide.  Audiences were pleased to find that their preconceived notions of a story about the science behind trees being dull did not ring true to the film.  Through its engaging and simplistic delivery and stunning visuals, the film brought more attention than ever before to Wohlleben’s message and discoveries.  Wohlleben takes audiences through various locations ranging from Germany to Poland to Vancouver.  He highlights environmental injustices and cites specific locations where trees are being harmed.  One example mentioned in the film is the examination of a tree that lines a German city street.  Surrounded by concrete and disconnected with its ecosystem, he explains that the tree will not have a long lifespan due to the concrete surrounding its roots and isolating it from other trees.  We know this is important because earlier in the film, he explains how trees support each other by passing nutrients through their roots to keep older trees within close proximity from dying.  Wohlleben’s decision to emphasize how trees are similar to humans creates a raw and emotional response from viewers and readers alike.  This method of delivering scientific information succeeds in generating attention society gives to conserving forests and increases awareness given to sustainability.

Sources:

Moor, Robert. “The German Forester Who Wants the World to Idolize Trees.” The New Yorker, 10 June 2021, https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-german-forester-who-wants-the-world-to-idolize-trees

Girish, Devika. “’The Hidden Life of Trees’ Review: Magic Kingdom.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 15 July 2021, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/15/movies/the-hidden-life-of-trees-review.html.