Who Speaks for the Trees? The Trees Do!

According to TreeHugger.com, "The Lorax might have spoken for the trees, but it turns out that trees can speak for themselves. At least to other trees, that is."

Sounds far-fetched, right? Very Dr. Suess-esque. But, according to Suzanne Simard, an Australian ecology expert, trees not only talk to each other, they recognize their offspring.

Wait, what?

Trees recognize their kids?

It's true. In a TED talk, Simard explains how she used isotope tracing to monitor forest behavior. What she discovered was nothing short of mind-boggling:

• Trees do not stand alone. They belong to arboreal "families" and can be identified by other family members who share common characteristics.
• Mother trees that would usually expand their roots in every direction, will pull back to make room for their "kinfolk" to grow.
• Adult trees pass carbon to family seedlings via a vast underground web of fungi, which makes the seedlings healthier and more resistant to stress.

Simard has been studying Canadian forests for three decades, "A forest is much more than what you see," she says.

It makes me wonder, if a tree speaks, does it also listen? And does that mean when we think we're alone in the forest, we're surrounded by thousands of lifeforms that might actually be talking about us?

SomeThing to think about on your next hike.

See you next week,
Bobby