As my fingers pulled weed after weed from my vegetable patch recently, my mind wandered toward the connection of plants and life within the soil. Snippets of conversation linking plants to humans, and plants to plants, came to mind.
A “wood wide web,” a term used by Peter Wohlleben in his book The Hidden Life of Trees, provides an intelligent and nourishing network under our feet as we walk between trees. White ribbons of hair, called mycelia, run between roots of fungi and other forest plants, carrying sugars and replenishing the soil with nitrogen, phosphorous and water.
More than 25 years ago, UBC forester Suzanne Simard proved connections between paper birch and Douglas fir seedlings. She tested uptake of carbon dioxide gases and transferral between species.
As Simard’s experiments progressed, she tracked greater transferral of sugars from paper birch to Douglas fir during the time the birch would be shaded, and greater transferral back from the fir to birch in the autumn when the birch would have lost its leaves.
Simard has found that mother trees are the mature matrons of the forest. Many offspring can be found close to each mother tree and they each receive nutritional support from the mother to complement the forest biodiversity and species resilience.
Mother trees also provide nutrients to other species that aid in that biodiversity, while cutting off those that either have no chance of survival or threaten her species.
Simard’s research has drawn anthropomorphic parallels within the forest’s circles of influence. Chemicals of alarm can be sent if a mother tree is under threat as a warning to others.
Simard’s Ted Talk, How Trees Talk to Each Other, brings attention to the need to be conscious of the life of a forest before clearcutting, to understand how the living organisms are connected and the communication that is continually happening between species.
Sandra Tonn is a yoga teacher, Reiki practitioner and taking steps toward becoming a Chi Kung instructor. Her career path works with life-force energy and she is replenished when in a forested environment.
“I feel grounded, at home, sane and calm,” said Tonn. “I feel I am nourished and among friends.”
So, it is not surprising that Tonn visits the forest for her rejuvenation.
“I have a daily practice that I call ‘tree chi.’ It simply involves spending some conscious time with trees and their energy,” she said. “I lean my back against a tree, most often a cedar, and open up to its energy while I stand still, silent and watch what happens around me.”
It is time for us all to head into our local forests, stand or sit still and participate, with all senses open, in nature’s circle of influence.
Janet Southcott is a member of the Earth Month Team and Climate Action Powell River. For more information, go to earthmonthpr.ca.
