People I (Mostly) Admire 97. How Smart Is a Forest?
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Jan 21, 2023 Suzanne Simard, a renowned ecologist and professor at the University of British Columbia, reveals the astonishing interconnections between trees in forests. She discusses how trees communicate, compete, and cooperate through intricate networks with fungi. These relationships challenge traditional views on forest management, emphasizing the need for biodiversity and sustainable practices. Simard also highlights the importance of storytelling in advocating for environmental causes, showcasing how personal narratives can inspire resilience and change.
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Shifting Logging Practices
- Simard's family practiced selective logging, allowing forests to thrive.
- Corporate clear-cutting, driven by profit, replaced this sustainable practice.
Challenging Convention
- Simard challenges the conventional view of forests as purely competitive.
- She argues that a Eurocentric, post-colonial perspective overlooks the cooperation between trees.
Early Doubts
- Simard's summer internship exposed her to the detrimental effects of clear-cutting and monoculture planting.
- Witnessing the decline of diverse old-growth forests solidified her doubts about established practices.
