Finding the Mother Tree (by Suzanne Simard)
My love of nature and curiosity about how nature works attracted me to this book. I see trees as precious and majestic so I was excited to learn more about these amazing creatures. My husband is responsible for planting an endless amount of trees on our property, so I was interested to learn more about what we may be cultivating. Suzanne Simard’s book, Finding the Mother Tree: Discovering the Wisdom of the Forest, was much more than I expected. Suzanne intelligently shares the science of how forests function, which she learned through extensive study and research. Her book also reads like a memoir, which made me connect to her life-long work.
The book opens with Suzanne talking about her upbringing in which her family was involved in the logging business. I don’t know anyone who cuts down trees for a living, but I presumed such people didn’t care much about replanting trees or the damage this caused to the environment. This presumption does not apply to the Simard family. Suzanne’s time spent cataloging trees instilled her appreciation for trees, and her attention to the forest in which the trees grew led her on an amazing scientific and personal journey. She helped me remember that we need to log trees for our sustainability, while also replanting trees for the sustainability of the forests. What we take, we must give back.
I loved the vulnerability Suzanne shared about her life. Her love for her work with trees and her personal life of family, marriage, and children are completely intertwined. She experienced devastating losses and amazing highs as she worked hard to change the minds of policymakers. The entire book is wonderful. My favorite part, of course, is her discovery of the mother tree and how it correlated with her significant life events. Suzanne’s writing is emotional and powerful. This book left me feeling hopeful, sentimental, and proud of her and her life’s accomplishments.
I purchased the audiobook Finding the Mother Tree from Audible. The narration by the author, Suzanne Simard, was perfect. A book this magnificent can only be read by the author.
You can learn more about The Mother Tree Project here.
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