The Gift of Trees

Hasn’t the fashion show that has surrounded us of late been particularly spectacular? The colors! The patterns! The beauty! Autumn is the peacock of seasons with its array of deciduous trees showcasing their breathtaking leaves of pumpkin orange, persimmon red, coppery brown sugar and egg yolk yellow. A delicious menu of visual art for one and all.

As a child growing up in America’s heartland, trees were often my favorite places of refuge. I spent countless hours perched comfortably in the branches of our giant mulberry tree, reading, writing and looking out and about from my leafy hideout. And each fall, I delighted in the acres of colorful leaves that carpeted my little world.  More than half a century has gone by and yet, I remain, as legend Ella Fitzgerald sang, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered” when it comes to trees.

It turns out I am not the only soul who is drawn to the majesty and magic of trees. I recently read an astonishing book by Peter Wohllenben entitled “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate; Discoveries from a Secret World.” Now, that is a title that beckons a reader!  

The author, a forester by profession, initially dismissed any notion that trees could feel or communicate with one another, but after years of being immersed in the world and science of trees, he came to understand how they utilize a sophisticated network to communicate feelings with each other. Trees do this by exploiting a vast underground system of fungi, thus allowing a tree to warn other trees of both opportunities and impending dangers. Intrigued? Amazed? Skeptical? Regardless, I beg you to read this book and feel its impact.

And if you would like more books on trees to inform, inspire and delight you, I recommend the following titles: “Sky Tree: Seeing Science Through Art” by Thomas Locker, “The Itty Bitty Guide to Trees: A Child’s Identification Guide to Trees of the Inland Northwest” by local authors Jaclyn Gotch and Lisa Bird, “The Tree Lady: The True Story of How One Tree-Loving Woman Changed a City Forever” by H.J. Hopkins and “Your Guide to Forest Bathing: Experience the Healing Power of Nature” by M. Amos Clifford. 

All of these books (and thousands more) are waiting for you and yours at Neill Public Library. So check some out and connect with a tree - and your library - today.

by Kathleen Ahern

Children's Librarian