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Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America
When you walk in the woods, do you use all five senses to explore your surroundings? For most of us, the answer is no—but when we do, a walk in the woods can go from pleasant to immersive and restorative. Forest Walking teaches you how to get the most out of your next adventure by becoming a forest detective, decoding nature’s signs and awakening to the ancient past and thrilling present of the ecosystem around you.
What can you learn by following the spread of a root, by tasting the tip of a branch, by searching out that bitter almond smell?
What creatures can be found in a stream if you turn over a rock—and what is the best way to cross a forest stream, anyway?
How can you understand a forest’s history by the feel of the path underfoot, the scars on the trees along the trail, or the play of sunlight through the branches?
How can we safely explore the forest at night?
What activities can we use to engage children with the forest?
Throughout Forest Walking, the authors share experiences and observations from visiting forests across North America: from the rainforests and redwoods of the west coast to the towering white pines of the east, and down to the cypress swamps of the south and up to the boreal forests of the north.
What can you learn by following the spread of a root, by tasting the tip of a branch, by searching out that bitter almond smell?
What creatures can be found in a stream if you turn over a rock—and what is the best way to cross a forest stream, anyway?
How can you understand a forest’s history by the feel of the path underfoot, the scars on the trees along the trail, or the play of sunlight through the branches?
How can we safely explore the forest at night?
What activities can we use to engage children with the forest?
Throughout Forest Walking, the authors share experiences and observations from visiting forests across North America: from the rainforests and redwoods of the west coast to the towering white pines of the east, and down to the cypress swamps of the south and up to the boreal forests of the north.
240 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2022
About the author
Peter Wohlleben
86 books1,692 followersPeter Wohlleben is a German forester and author who writes on ecological themes in popular language.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews
May 2, 2023
Like always, Peter Wohlleben shows how good he is at communicating with lay people about forests and nature. His relaxed, chatty style makes a walk in the woods seem easy and fun.
July 8, 2022
Maybe a 3.5
This book was interesting, and I have been in awe noticing some of the things that I learned as I’ve hiked recently. Like the fact that trees shed their lower branches:
“Trees can use leaves to make food only when the sun hits them. Once the forest trees tower above their lower branches, shading their leaves, the trees stop keeping these branches alive and they eventually rot and drop off. Meanwhile, the tree grows wood to seal off the branch stub so infection doesn’t enter the trunk.
Look at the lower part of a tree to see the scars left in the bark where a branch once grew…because trees expand in width all the way up but grow in height only from the top, no matter how tall a tree grows, as long as these branch scars are visible, they will always remain the same distance from the ground.”
In my 34 years of life, I’ve never actively wondered why there are no branches towards the bottom of big trees and did not think about the fact that they add height from the top. SO COOL! If the entire book were like this, I would have loved it.
There is a chapter filled with ideas and activities you can do with children in the forest which I thought was very fun.
While I learned quite a bit, I was hoping to dive in a bit more deeply to North American forests. The author works in forestry in Germany and kept returning to examples from where he lives. While these were interesting and North America was definitely mentioned, I was curious as to why he wrote a book about this part of the world.
Some of the chapters towards the end felt like filler “Choosing your wardrobe, for example. I wanted a primer, but this might have been a little too basic at times.
I was very into the sections filled with tree facts so I am definitely going to read his book The Hidden Life of Trees soon!
This book was interesting, and I have been in awe noticing some of the things that I learned as I’ve hiked recently. Like the fact that trees shed their lower branches:
“Trees can use leaves to make food only when the sun hits them. Once the forest trees tower above their lower branches, shading their leaves, the trees stop keeping these branches alive and they eventually rot and drop off. Meanwhile, the tree grows wood to seal off the branch stub so infection doesn’t enter the trunk.
Look at the lower part of a tree to see the scars left in the bark where a branch once grew…because trees expand in width all the way up but grow in height only from the top, no matter how tall a tree grows, as long as these branch scars are visible, they will always remain the same distance from the ground.”
In my 34 years of life, I’ve never actively wondered why there are no branches towards the bottom of big trees and did not think about the fact that they add height from the top. SO COOL! If the entire book were like this, I would have loved it.
There is a chapter filled with ideas and activities you can do with children in the forest which I thought was very fun.
While I learned quite a bit, I was hoping to dive in a bit more deeply to North American forests. The author works in forestry in Germany and kept returning to examples from where he lives. While these were interesting and North America was definitely mentioned, I was curious as to why he wrote a book about this part of the world.
Some of the chapters towards the end felt like filler “Choosing your wardrobe, for example. I wanted a primer, but this might have been a little too basic at times.
I was very into the sections filled with tree facts so I am definitely going to read his book The Hidden Life of Trees soon!
April 16, 2022
As we enjoy more hikes outside, I am struck by the peacefulness and tranquility of the forest ecosystems which are home to so many creatures, insects, plants and trees. This is an interesting book full of facts and knowledge to make me reflect.
Quotes like: "Trees know that each individual tree has a role to play in the overall health of the forest, so they will reach out and support each other to ensure the the forest, as a whole, stays strong" are so applicable to teams and families also!
He speaks to how trees' shapes show "their characters or whose trunks carries scars as a testament to all they had endured over their long lives" that "trees live life in the slow lane" and that "trees are resilient and determined to find a way to continue growing, as straight and tall as they can toward the light". These are powerful messages that we can find within the forest!
The book shares many facts about trees, inhabitants of the forests and tips for hiking and enjoying the forest and wildlife. It makes me antsy to get back to our Bruce Trail hikes!!
Quotes like: "Trees know that each individual tree has a role to play in the overall health of the forest, so they will reach out and support each other to ensure the the forest, as a whole, stays strong" are so applicable to teams and families also!
He speaks to how trees' shapes show "their characters or whose trunks carries scars as a testament to all they had endured over their long lives" that "trees live life in the slow lane" and that "trees are resilient and determined to find a way to continue growing, as straight and tall as they can toward the light". These are powerful messages that we can find within the forest!
The book shares many facts about trees, inhabitants of the forests and tips for hiking and enjoying the forest and wildlife. It makes me antsy to get back to our Bruce Trail hikes!!
July 22, 2023
This is such a wonderful book full of insights about forests, which might look like peaceful pastoral locations but are arenas of struggle for survival and evolutionary competitiveness. Each feature of trees and animal behaviors are not ornamental but serve some purpose. Trees can release cyanide-like scents to discourage enterprising caterpillars, and they can also send chemical invitations to wasps that prey on caterpillars. They can interlock roots with other trees to 'share' nutrients and ensure the health of the entire forest. They can bend their trunks at jointed angles or spirals to ensure survival despite lightning, falls, or parasitic invasions. They can make their barks smooth to deny footholds to exploitative plants. Some forests or fungi are actually one interconnected creature cloned or spread over multiple acres. They can have different leaf sizes (bigger and broader at the bottom) to maximize sun levels over surface area and to adapt to climate gradients at different heights. Other creatures such as fungi, lichen and moss have their own roster of adaptation strategies to secure survival. This include drapery over taller inhabitants of the forest to hoist their own selves closer to the sunlight.
This is a very interesting book that encourages a brand new look at the world of forests.
This is a very interesting book that encourages a brand new look at the world of forests.
July 31, 2023
what a delightful little book. i want to hug a tree now.
April 12, 2022
After a life altering family event back in 2016, I turned towards nature for comfort. I also read THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREES, which was educational and truly inspirational. Since the pandemic, I found myself wandering more often, finding beauty all around us. After reading FOREST WALKING, I headed back into the woods, with a new found sense. Each of my experiences with loss, grief, and separation, Wohllenben’s books each time have enlightened me, helped me to open up to the world beyond my four wall, and for that I am forever grateful. For fans of THE NATURE FIX by Florence Williams
January 30, 2023
Loved the facts about how to consume insects in the wild, very interesting
September 29, 2022
There was nothing in this book that I hadn't known already, but it was a very nice journey of rediscovery. If you are a seasoned outdoorsman, you will not stand to gain any new insight from this. The one who would benefit greatly from this book is the forest newbie. It is packed with great information one would need to understand the well-being and nature of our forests. It's nice to reconnect with nature with books like this to bring you back to the beginning, as a reminder of things you may take for granted. The more experienced you become with our forests, sometimes you lose what is considered as the basics. This book reels you back in with that base-level knowledge.
In an age where human beings have lost their ear to listen to nature and have forgotten how to feel our ancient connections with the Earth, "Forest Walking" is a good book to help re-open your eyes and teaches you how to hear our world around us through the trees and the very ground that gives them life.
Very touching and healing for those who want to reestablish a connection to the world we take so much for granted.
In an age where human beings have lost their ear to listen to nature and have forgotten how to feel our ancient connections with the Earth, "Forest Walking" is a good book to help re-open your eyes and teaches you how to hear our world around us through the trees and the very ground that gives them life.
Very touching and healing for those who want to reestablish a connection to the world we take so much for granted.
August 1, 2022
3.5 stars but not a bad little read at all for what it’s meant to be. Author himself claims it’s not meant to be a reference book (hence not structured or visual like a helpful one would be), but an appetizer. And it rightly serves as one - both to be outdoors and observe and enjoy all there is, and also to read his deep (and deeply fascinating) dive: Hidden Life of Trees. I already read it, so that part of the appetizer was lost on me after consuming the full course.
It does provide some fun practical tips: how to stay dry, how to build a fire, how to distinguish animal tracks, how to make a willow whistle, among others.
It does provide some fun practical tips: how to stay dry, how to build a fire, how to distinguish animal tracks, how to make a willow whistle, among others.
October 18, 2022
This book was a wonderful way to take a walk through the forest from my snug reading chair and also an inspiration to get back out to our favorite local Appalachian woodland hikes.
This book focuses on forests across North America, but I learned many things to look for right in our forested back yard or on our next hike here in Pennsylvania: Hellbenders are sign of a healthy stream; the wordless tale left behind by our little circle of saplings (the chipmunk who placed those nuts did not survive to enjoy them); gray squirrel alarm calls and tail twitches are distinguished not just by type of predator (a distinction my husband and have regularly noticed) but also by whether they are primarily warning other squirrels or letting the predator know they've been 'made' (which we will listen for the next time the Red Tailed hawk is hanging out).
This book focuses on forests across North America, but I learned many things to look for right in our forested back yard or on our next hike here in Pennsylvania: Hellbenders are sign of a healthy stream; the wordless tale left behind by our little circle of saplings (the chipmunk who placed those nuts did not survive to enjoy them); gray squirrel alarm calls and tail twitches are distinguished not just by type of predator (a distinction my husband and have regularly noticed) but also by whether they are primarily warning other squirrels or letting the predator know they've been 'made' (which we will listen for the next time the Red Tailed hawk is hanging out).
January 28, 2023
I challenge anyone to read this book and NOT want to go walking in the forest. Peter Wohlleben seems to know everything there is to know, see, hear and feel in the forest. He certainly opened up all of my senses. I cannot pass by a tree now without noticing the curve of its branches, the presence of lichens and the appearance of the bark. I have already engaged in some bark rubbings. What fun! I will definitely be taking more walks in the future. Fortunately, our property borders the Hoosier National Forest so it won't be hard to find a place to walk.
January 15, 2023
A wonderful overview of animals you can see, experiences you can have, gear to bring, and basic survival skills in the forest.
Geared toward the novice hiker/forest-dweller, there are some fine and good nuggets for veteran hikers too (I had forgotten beetle larvae serves as a good protein if one should find themselves lost in the woods 😁)
Geared toward the novice hiker/forest-dweller, there are some fine and good nuggets for veteran hikers too (I had forgotten beetle larvae serves as a good protein if one should find themselves lost in the woods 😁)
March 18, 2023
Overall a good introduction to being in a forest, what to look for, what to notice. The writing is a little stilted and somewhat too casual at times, distracting from the main point that the author is trying to make. Yet despite writing challenges, it is a good work with lots of information and ideas, especially for someone who is just getting into wilderness experiences.
June 10, 2022
An engaging overview of the delights and challenges of exploring the natural world. The authors hit a rare perfect tone of encouraging awe and respect for nature while being matter-of-fact about what everyone from families to industry can expect from forest lands. This is the kind of book that most benefits woodlands: one that promotes conservation through the simple act of showing us what amazing finds await us in wild spaces.
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September 12, 2022This was such a peaceful read! The perfect book to sit outside and read.
December 25, 2022
A pleasant introduction to the life of a forest. Bonus points awarded as one of the national forests featured here is in my state.
January 28, 2023
omg luved it.
February 22, 2023
This book was such a delightful book intro to the forests of North America! I really enjoyed underlying paragraphs and sentences to look back and research on. Bear nests were beyond my favorite !! This book has a bit of everything and it was a joyful read! I loved the authors sense of humor that gave light to all the information being provided !! I really enjoyed it <3
September 3, 2023
Informative and interesting! Trees rock!
December 4, 2023
This was an easy and engaging read! I learned lots of fun facts and I’m sure repeat readings would help more sink in.
May 6, 2024
It started out really well, but it lost me a little bit after the middle. It was interesting, but didn’t offer much by way of applicability in what I was looking for
April 4, 2022
Wohlleben’s “The Hidden Life of Trees” was one of those rare books that profoundly changed the way I looked at the world, and so I was eager to read his forthcoming work. This book is at once narrower in focus (i.e. intended to appeal to the North American market, specifically,) but also much much broader (i.e. reflecting upon not just the trees but the other species that reside among them as well as how humans can best get around within the forest.) It might seem strange for Wohlleben (a German forester) to do a book on the North American forests, and I suspect that’s one reason that his one-time translator / editor (Jane Billinghurst) became his co-author. [I don’t know where Billinghurst is from, but she does add many North America-specific vignettes to the book.]
Like “The Hidden Life of Trees” this book is packed with intriguing insights into woodland environments. The twenty-one chapters aren’t explicitly divvied up, but there’s a clear logic to the grouping of chapters. An opening chapter focuses on the importance of having a multi-sensory experience in the woods, and then chapters two through five are concentrated on trees and their various parts.
Chapters six through eight explore species that work on, with, and against trees, with particular focus on fungi and other species that break down and recycle forest material. Chapters nine and ten turn the attention to how to help kids get the most out of their forest experience. The next couple chapters consider how to get the most of seeing the forest at unconventional times, i.e. night and during varied seasons. Then there are a few chapters investigating how to observe other lifeforms of the forest, particularly animals and insects.
Several chapters follow that explore how humans can survive and thrive in wooded ecosystems, including everything from wilderness survival / primitive living skills to dressing to save oneself from ticks and chiggers.
I learned a lot from this book. As I mentioned, it’s full of intriguing little tidbits about the forest.
The opening sentence of the book’s Introduction did mention it being intended as a book one would take into the forest with one, and I would say it’s not that book at all. It’s the kind of book one reads before going out (and probably returns to after coming back) but it’s just not organized in such away to make it worth lugging around (i.e. it’s not like a field guide – set up to allow one to rapidly find what one is interested in on the fly.)
That said, you’ll learn a lot from reading it, and I’d highly recommend it.
Like “The Hidden Life of Trees” this book is packed with intriguing insights into woodland environments. The twenty-one chapters aren’t explicitly divvied up, but there’s a clear logic to the grouping of chapters. An opening chapter focuses on the importance of having a multi-sensory experience in the woods, and then chapters two through five are concentrated on trees and their various parts.
Chapters six through eight explore species that work on, with, and against trees, with particular focus on fungi and other species that break down and recycle forest material. Chapters nine and ten turn the attention to how to help kids get the most out of their forest experience. The next couple chapters consider how to get the most of seeing the forest at unconventional times, i.e. night and during varied seasons. Then there are a few chapters investigating how to observe other lifeforms of the forest, particularly animals and insects.
Several chapters follow that explore how humans can survive and thrive in wooded ecosystems, including everything from wilderness survival / primitive living skills to dressing to save oneself from ticks and chiggers.
I learned a lot from this book. As I mentioned, it’s full of intriguing little tidbits about the forest.
The opening sentence of the book’s Introduction did mention it being intended as a book one would take into the forest with one, and I would say it’s not that book at all. It’s the kind of book one reads before going out (and probably returns to after coming back) but it’s just not organized in such away to make it worth lugging around (i.e. it’s not like a field guide – set up to allow one to rapidly find what one is interested in on the fly.)
That said, you’ll learn a lot from reading it, and I’d highly recommend it.
August 25, 2022
Good starting point
We hike in the forests of the western Rockies, so this book's promise on the back cover to help me learn to "decode nature's signs and dive deeply into the ecosystem around you" attracted me.
For the most part, "Forest Walking" delivered on its promise. I learned that moss growing on the trunk of a tree "is likely almost as old as the tree on which it's growing," and disrupting it can harm or even kill the moss. Later in the book, however, in discussing overnight camping and having to do one's business in the woods, he says using moss is as good as toilet paper. I guess you should be careful which moss you choose. (And you should definitely not use toilet paper unless you've prepared to carry it out with you.)
Despite devouring field guides for the various places we roam, this book added to my insight. However, it primarily serves as an introduction to people who might not be as observant during their woodland hikes as others. Chapters on entertaining children on these hikes and venturing into the forest at night were nice additions, even though these situations might not apply to some readers.
I learned something new in nearly every chapter in this book, although I couldn't help wishing for more. On occasion the author would make a statement that I thought begged more explanation or example, only to be left wondering. There's only so much a book like this can do, but perhaps -- for me, anyway -- the net was cast a little wider but not as deep as I would have preferred.
We hike in the forests of the western Rockies, so this book's promise on the back cover to help me learn to "decode nature's signs and dive deeply into the ecosystem around you" attracted me.
For the most part, "Forest Walking" delivered on its promise. I learned that moss growing on the trunk of a tree "is likely almost as old as the tree on which it's growing," and disrupting it can harm or even kill the moss. Later in the book, however, in discussing overnight camping and having to do one's business in the woods, he says using moss is as good as toilet paper. I guess you should be careful which moss you choose. (And you should definitely not use toilet paper unless you've prepared to carry it out with you.)
Despite devouring field guides for the various places we roam, this book added to my insight. However, it primarily serves as an introduction to people who might not be as observant during their woodland hikes as others. Chapters on entertaining children on these hikes and venturing into the forest at night were nice additions, even though these situations might not apply to some readers.
I learned something new in nearly every chapter in this book, although I couldn't help wishing for more. On occasion the author would make a statement that I thought begged more explanation or example, only to be left wondering. There's only so much a book like this can do, but perhaps -- for me, anyway -- the net was cast a little wider but not as deep as I would have preferred.
June 27, 2022
I found more interesting nuggets in this book for forest bathing and strolling. If you love trees, woods, and forests, you'll enjoy this little book.
January 31, 2023
The moss sex scene is a bit risqué.
May 19, 2022
Thank you to @greystonebooks for this copy. All opinions are my own.
I've been slowly chipping away at this book for a few weeks now. But that is not for lack of interest! There is so much good and interesting information in this book that I needed time to absorb it all.
As an avid hiker and outdoors lover, this book spoke to me! And as a Kripalu-trained Mindful Outdoor Guide, I finished it with some great new ideas for forest activities, especially with children. The first few chapters for me were a little tedious but I especially loved the chapters about taking children into the forest and about foraging and survival.
The authors' expertise is evident through their writing. The only thing that I found a little strange was that the book was clearly written in Peter's voice and often mentioned Jane (the co-author) in the third person. This in no way took away from the overall message of the book, it just struck me as odd.
As mentioned in the "In Closing" section, this book is a teaser or an appetizer, and is meant to inspire interest in the forest and perhaps action in both enjoying and protecting it. I think it definitely serves this purpose.
Read this if you:
-Love exploring and learning about nature
-Want to learn more about engaging with nature (and even engaging others with nature)
I've been slowly chipping away at this book for a few weeks now. But that is not for lack of interest! There is so much good and interesting information in this book that I needed time to absorb it all.
As an avid hiker and outdoors lover, this book spoke to me! And as a Kripalu-trained Mindful Outdoor Guide, I finished it with some great new ideas for forest activities, especially with children. The first few chapters for me were a little tedious but I especially loved the chapters about taking children into the forest and about foraging and survival.
The authors' expertise is evident through their writing. The only thing that I found a little strange was that the book was clearly written in Peter's voice and often mentioned Jane (the co-author) in the third person. This in no way took away from the overall message of the book, it just struck me as odd.
As mentioned in the "In Closing" section, this book is a teaser or an appetizer, and is meant to inspire interest in the forest and perhaps action in both enjoying and protecting it. I think it definitely serves this purpose.
Read this if you:
-Love exploring and learning about nature
-Want to learn more about engaging with nature (and even engaging others with nature)
September 6, 2023
I just finished reading "Forest Walking" by Peter Wohlleben, and I have to say it's an absolute gem. If you're into nature and love taking walks in the woods, this book is like a delightful companion on your forest adventures.
Wohlleben's writing is so down-to-earth and relatable. It's like chatting with a knowledgeable friend who shares cool stories and facts about trees and forests. I learned things I never knew about how trees communicate, support each other, and even have their own kind of social life.
One of my favorite parts is when Wohlleben describes his own experiences in the forest. He makes you feel like you're right there with him, noticing the tiny details and feeling the magic of the woods.
"Forest Walking" is a book that makes you appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature, especially when you're out there surrounded by trees. It's not a heavy read, but it's packed with insights that make you see forests in a whole new light.
So, if you're planning a hike or just love nature, grab "Forest Walking" and take it with you. It's like having a nature expert as your hiking buddy, and it'll make your time in the woods even more enjoyable.
Wohlleben's writing is so down-to-earth and relatable. It's like chatting with a knowledgeable friend who shares cool stories and facts about trees and forests. I learned things I never knew about how trees communicate, support each other, and even have their own kind of social life.
One of my favorite parts is when Wohlleben describes his own experiences in the forest. He makes you feel like you're right there with him, noticing the tiny details and feeling the magic of the woods.
"Forest Walking" is a book that makes you appreciate the beauty and wonder of nature, especially when you're out there surrounded by trees. It's not a heavy read, but it's packed with insights that make you see forests in a whole new light.
So, if you're planning a hike or just love nature, grab "Forest Walking" and take it with you. It's like having a nature expert as your hiking buddy, and it'll make your time in the woods even more enjoyable.
June 18, 2023
I was very excited to have received this book in a Giveaway. I didn't think that I'd actually be chosen to receive a book. Thank you!
Unfortunately, I'm not thrilled with this book. Maybe The Hidden Life of Trees will be better. I think more editorial help, maybe a different editor, would have helped this book. It has a scattered feeling to the way it reads, jumping from one idea to another, from one audience-interest to another. Is it for those new to the forest or those who have had more experience? Even the title needs help. The countries included in this book, hopefully I recall all of them, are the United States, Canada, and Germany. Germany is not in North America. If it's going to be about North America, there are many countries,states, and a territory below the southern border of the United States and off the coast that qualify to be included. Was there a rush to publish? There were gems among the confusion. There are resource notes, a bibliography, and an index for the reader to use.
Unfortunately, I'm not thrilled with this book. Maybe The Hidden Life of Trees will be better. I think more editorial help, maybe a different editor, would have helped this book. It has a scattered feeling to the way it reads, jumping from one idea to another, from one audience-interest to another. Is it for those new to the forest or those who have had more experience? Even the title needs help. The countries included in this book, hopefully I recall all of them, are the United States, Canada, and Germany. Germany is not in North America. If it's going to be about North America, there are many countries,states, and a territory below the southern border of the United States and off the coast that qualify to be included. Was there a rush to publish? There were gems among the confusion. There are resource notes, a bibliography, and an index for the reader to use.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 113 reviews