The Hidden Life of Trees

What They Feel, How They Communicate—Discoveries from a Secret World

The Mysteries of Nature Book 1

One of the most beloved books of our time: an illuminating account of the forest, and the science that shows us how trees communicate, feel, and live in social networks. After reading this book, a walk in the woods will never be the same again.

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A New York Times, Washington Post, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller

Are trees social beings? In The Hidden Life of Trees forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben also shares his deep love of woods and forests, explaining the amazing processes of life, death, and regeneration that he has observed in his woodland.

Published in Partnership with the David Suzuki Institute

Praise for Forest Walking  

  • “An invitation to see anew what we have spent eons taking for granted.”
    —Maria Popova, Brain Pickings 

  • “Heavily dusted with the glitter of wonderment.”
    The New Yorker

  • “Breaks entirely new ground ... [Peter Wohlleben] has listened to trees and decoded their language. Now he speaks for them.”
    The New York Review of Books

  • “A declaration of love and an engrossing primer on trees, brimming with facts and an unashamed awe for nature.”
    Washington Post

  • “A veritable tree whisperer.”
    Wall Street Journal 

  • “The matter-of-fact Mr. Wohlleben has delighted readers and talk-show audiences alike with the news—long known to biologists—that trees in the forest are social beings.”
    —Sally McGrane, The New York Times