Christie and I started working together at the beginning of February 2021. She hired me to help with the marketing side of the business so she could focus more on her customers and the trees! We all know that Christie has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to trees. You can see the excitement in her eyes when she talks about her work.
In the last few weeks working with Christie, I learned more about trees than I had in my entire life. I find myself with a new appreciation for the forests all around me. I’d like to share with you the four main things Christie has taught me about trees in the last 30 days.
- They think & they communicate – Yes, you read that right. I said trees think and they communicate with one another! Christie shared the article “Scientists On How Trees Talk Through an Ancient ‘Otherworld’ Network” with me and it blew my mind. It’s fascinating to learn how forests act like one big superorganism.
- There’s a “wood wide web” – Like the internet? Yes! Millions of years ago, fungi and plants formed symbiotic relationships known as a mycorrhiza. Through this network, they exchange sugars, carbon, minerals, nutrients, and communication signals. Below the ground, fungal highways connect the trees. Just like an internet connection, one tree can connect with hundreds of other trees by sending out signals through the network that extends throughout the forest.
- Mother trees protect the young – Hub trees, also known as mother trees, can nurture growing saplings through the network. As the older trees in the forest die, the hub trees can tap into the dying trees’ nutrients, genes, and other resources. How cool is that?
- They’re stronger together – Just like humans, connected trees have a clear advantage and resilience to outside forces. If a tree becomes disconnected from the network, it is vulnerable to disease and bugs. A diverse forest is best for longevity. Practices like clear-cutting and replacing forests with a single species destroy the diversity of the ecosystem which disconnects it from the wood wide web.
Ecologist Suzanne Simard from the University of British Columbia has spent years studying how trees communicate. I found her TED Talk fascinating as she discusses her research. In her presentation she notes, “Through back and forth conversations, [trees] increase resilience of the whole community. It probably reminds you of our own social communities”.
Trees have always played an important role in our lives. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to do your part in understanding trees and protecting them. If you find yourself looking for guidance when it comes to tree health, safety, and weather-related services, you know who to call. Christie is the go-to expert and a certified arborist with a love for the trees.