How Trees Mother Their Seedlings and What We Can Learn About Connection From Forests Time 2 hrs ago
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Forest ecologist Suzanne Simard studies what she calls “mother trees.” They are tall old-growth trees with vast root systems connected to hundreds of other trees via a network of fungi that allows them to share resources and information. Mother trees are the source of a forest’s resilience and renewal in the face of modern stressors, like climate change.
This breakthrough research revealed stunningly complex communications and cooperation among trees. A mother tree can even recognize its own saplings and direct more carbon, nutrients, and water to them if needed, but will also support other neighbor trees in distress.
Like many of you, I grew up on ESSENCE. My mother had a subscription, and even before I understood everything I was reading, I’d devour the pages, imagining my future as an ESSENCE woman. The covers featuring gorgeous, empowered celebrities were as impactful as the ones with community leaders like AIDS activist Rae Lewis-Thornton (December 1994), former gang girl Isis Sapp-Grant (August 1998) and the first Black President, Barack Obama (January 2009).
But in February 2015, we went without a cover subject for the first time in our history, instead spotlighting these three words: Black Lives Matter. Six years later, we’re here again.