Let’s learn from trees how to be better people

By Melania Tizzi for the Autosufficienza Farm.

Last September, the Autosufficienza Farm in Bagno di Romagna had the fortune of hosting a very special seminar, led by a speaker whose resume certainly wouldn’t suggest he is an international non-fiction superstar.

Peter Wohlleben, author of the book The Hidden Life of Trees (Macro Edizioni), served for over twenty years in the German Forestry Commission. Today, after resigning to put his ecological convictions into practice, he manages an environmentally friendly forest enterprise in the Eifel region of Germany, where he practices a return to the primeval forest.

Already the author of several books on ecology, he could hardly have expected that a book about the social relationships between trees would reach the top of the bestseller lists and be translated into more than twenty languages.

It is therefore evident that interest in these themes is vibrant among readers all over the world and, during the event at the farm, it was possible to see this enthusiasm firsthand. This interest was also signaled by the speed with which the event sold out.

The woodlands surrounding the farm and the proximity to the Casentinesi Forests National Park provided the perfect setting for the experiential seminar with the author, which took place over two half-days between the main hall of the Agritourism and the neighbouring woods.

During the first part of the seminar, participants learned valuable information about how the forest ecosystem functions, the delicate interpersonal—or rather, “inter-vegetal”—relationships between different tree species, the fundamental influence that the health of the world’s great forests exerts on the climate, and much more. There were many questions, as well as looks of amazement and spontaneous smiles upon realising that, just like us human beings, trees are also sensitive creatures that react to external stimuli and behave accordingly, for better or for worse. Although expressed differently from what we are used to observing, plants also experience something very similar to friendship and motherly love, as well as insecurity and fear.

And just when those present thought they had been catapulted into a fantasy novel, numerous studies conducted by international universities and research institutes appeared to support these theories. It has even been proven that structures similar to those found in the human brain are located in the tips of a tree’s roots.

And there is more! Exactly as happens in the animal kingdom, plants are also endowed with awareness and a sense of belonging: no member of the same species is left behind by its peers, who, in case of need, can provide for its sustenance even for hundreds of years. Needless to say, we truly have so much to learn from trees. Over the two days, there was a wealth of information; the topics shifted frequently, and many were busy taking notes.

Peter went on to describe the more pragmatic aspects of forest life, and perhaps, listening to his words, many wondered what the balance sheets of many nations would look like if only the position of Minister of Economy were held by an old beech tree. It may sound crazy, but trees are true professionals in managing the resources at their disposal, especially water: if during the previous summer they suddenly found themselves dry because too much was consumed, they will be more parsimonious in the following one.

The following day, the seminar naturally continued surrounded by nature, among those trunks and branches with their often imperfect shapes that had been discussed the previous evening. The chosen grove was not far from the farm, providing an excellent opportunity to show participants some curiosities that are difficult to explain with words alone—for instance, that cutting down a trunk is not necessary to determine a tree’s age; there are much friendlier methods, such as observing the small folds that cluster on the thinner branches.

Thanks to his experience and keen powers of observation, Peter seemed to already know these places. From simple clues, he was able to deduce a wealth of information about the land we were traversing: the presence of a juniper bush indicates that what is now a woodland was once used for grazing. Indeed, the surrounding trees were very young, which was evident from the presence of flowers and small plants on the ground, growing in the light that filtered through the sparse canopy.

The forest tour concluded with an important reflection. Peter pointed out a fundamental lesson we should learn from trees, which has nothing to do with cold academic facts: let us try to follow the example of trees and become more patient ourselves; let us learn the value of collaboration and mutual aid, because only in this way can we live in harmony with others.