The Power of Trees

"As human-caused climate change devastates the planet, forests play a critical role in keeping it habitable. While politicians and business leaders would have us believe that cutting down forests can be offset by mass tree planting, Wohlleben offers a warning: many tree planting campaigns lead to ecological disaster. Not only are these trees more susceptible to disease, flooding, fires, and landslides, we need to understand that forests are more than simply a collection of trees. Instead, they are ecosystems that consist of thousands of species, from animals to fungi and bacteria. The way to save trees, and ourselves? Step aside and let forests--which are naturally better equipped to face environmental challenges--heal themselves."--Provided by publisher.

Introduction PART IThe Wisdom of Trees1 | When Trees Make Mistakes 2 | A Thousand Years of Learning 3 | Seeds of Wisdom 4 | Filling Up in Winter 5 | Red Flags for Aphids 6 | Early Risers and Late Sleepers 7 | Forest Air-Conditioning 8 | When Rain Falls in China 9 | Take Care and Stand Back 10 | Underrated All-Rounders PART IIWhen Forestry Fails11 | Backed Up Against a Wall 12 | Butchery in the Beech Forest 13 | Germany’s Search for the Supertree 14 | Good Intentions, Poor Outcomes 15 | The New Bark Beetle? 16 | Wolves as Climate Guardians 17 | Is Wood as Eco-Friendly as We Think? 18 | It’s Time to Pay Up 19 | The Toilet Paper Argument 20 | More Money, Less Forest 21 | The Ivory Tower Wobbles 22 | What’s on Your Plate? PART IIIForests of the Future23 | Every Tree Counts 24 | Does Everyone Have to Be On Board? 25 | A Breath of Fresh Air 26 | The Forest Will Return Afterword: Accepting Ignoranceand Treading Carefully in the Forest Acknowledgments Notes Index