Daily Archives: May 27, 2021


Tuesday, June 8, 11:00 am – 12:00 noon – Finding the Mother Tree: A Conversation with Suzanne Simard, Online

As a pioneer in the field of plant communication, ecologist Suzanne Simard has spent a lifetime rigorously documenting the forests of North America and the Arctic. Rather than simple collections of individual plants, these forests are complex communities of interdependent species that share resources and rely on one another for survival. Through this thought-provoking lens, Simard shares fascinating insights into how trees have evolved to perceive one another,recognize their neighbors, and remember the past; how they elicit warnings and mount defenses; and how they compete and cooperate with one another. She shows how these arboreal systems mimic both our neural networks and the structure of our civil societies, and how the ancient hubs of these communities—what she calls Mother Trees—play a crucial role in a given forest’s vitality.

A professor of forest ecology at the University of British Columbia and author of a new memoir, Finding the Mother Tree, Suzanne Simard, Ph.D., has been shaped by her personal journey, including a childhood spent in the logging world of British Columbia’s rain forests that taught her to love and respect trees.

This New York Botanical Garden Lecture on June 8 at 11 am is followed by a conversation with Todd Forrest, Arthur Ross Vice President for Horticulture and Living Collections. Registered participants will receive login instructions. Register HERE – $18.


Tuesday, June 8, or Wednesday, June 16, 9:30 am – 12:00 noon – Tree Identification Walk

Wright-Locke Farm has invited naturalist Roland “Boot” Boutwell to lead two tree identification walks, on June 8 and June 16, from 9:30 – noon. The trees of New England are both beautiful and an essential part of our landscape. This course will introduce you to approximately a dozen common trees of New England, emphasizing tree identification as well as natural history. $30 per person. Register at http://www.wlfarm.org/adult-education-programs/