Walking with Trees

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I circle to the south and look up at the branches just above me. The whorls of twigs and leaves make magnificent patterns in the sky. I bow again. Oh tree, your beauty is stunning. The tall sequoias that survive the fires are calling us to think more expansively. Fire too is calling. As it clears the underbrush, may it also clear away existing prejudices and spark fresh imagination. The starting point, the ground of my practice is similar to that of the Harrisons–attentiveness, which opens the heart to tremendous gratitude for the wonder, enchantment, and beauty of the living world. This opening to presence leads to empathy, or compassion, a recognition of the suffering of others. I prefer the term compassion because it implies a dissolution of the self/other dichotomy and a recognition of the inseparability of the complex systems of the life web. Furthermore, attentive presence involves an embodied cognition that honors not only the intellectual, but the sensual and emotional. In these times, learning to stay with difficult emotions is vital, as is the creation of public spaces and rituals to share the unfathomable sorrow and rage over current ecological devastation, emotions that can be a pathway to vulnerability, tenderness, wisdom, and love. The opening to presence also evokes the creation of potent metaphors, so central to ecological praxis, and the weaving of these metaphors into fresh narratives that express the workings of complex systems and spark imaginative conversation. These improvisations, and what the Harrisons term “conversational drift,” can engender new ways of being and doing—an ethos that is grounded in compassion and a transdisciplinary praxis that is committed to the well-being of the entire life web. On the other hand, a 2018 survey found that while the percentage of those worried about global warming was rising, the sense of hope was diminishing. In 2017 while less than 60% thought climate change was human-caused, almost 40% thought the odds of humans going extinct were at least 50%. As a society, are we moving from denial to despair, from one form of immobility to another? Certainly, in the past year I have had more students suffering from depression and more anguished discussions than ever before. ii

Glennie has invited us into in an extraordinary relationship with the vast intelligence of these ecological and spiritual beings. Walking with trees is beautiful, poetic and wise. Glennie successfully brings outer landscapes into connection with our inner landscapes. Walking with trees is rooted in love, respect and awe for trees and all of life." - Looby Macnamara, Permaculture teacher and designer, I’m very much in tune with her perspective, especially at a time of global deforestation, and with the introduction of 5G ‘requiring’ that vast numbers of trees that are ‘in the way’ of receiving signals be felled. I've always found Glennie’s work to be both authentic and inspirational, and her latest book 'Walking with Trees' is no exception. Within it, she generously shares a lifetime's insights, providing the reader with many practical suggestions to connect with, and learn from, our native trees. With plenty of Glennie’s delightful drawings, this really is a book I can wholeheartedly recommend.
" - Claire Hattersley, Garden Manager, Weleda (UK) Ltd Many different species of epiphyte have been found to grow on S. exorrhiza. A study of 118 individual trees in Panama found 66 species from 15 families on them. Bryophytes covered up to 30% of the stems, and the relative coverage increased as the stem diameter increased. Around half of the trees studied had vascular epiphytes growing on them. Up to 85 individuals from 12 different species were found on one palm, and another tree was colonised by a total of 16 different species. The most common epiphytes were three species of fern, Ananthacorus angustifolius, Elaphoglossum sporadolepis and Dicranoglossum panamense, altogether accounting for 30% of all the individuals recorded. Other common species, representing more than 5% of the individuals found, included Scaphyglottis longicaulis ( Orchidaceae), Philodendron schottianum ( Araceae) and Guzmania subcorymbosa ( Bromeliaceae). Almost half of the species recorded were rare, however, with only between 1 and 3 individuals being recorded on all of the palms. A clear vertical distribution was found between different species: some grew in the understory, other in the midstory and others in the canopy. Trees with epiphytes were found to be significantly larger than those without. This suggests that the palms must reach a certain age before they are colonised; for example, it is estimated that palms must be 20 years old before they are colonised by vascular epiphytes. [1] Leaf morphology [ edit ]Roselle Angwin is partway through writing a second book on trees and tree lore herself, partly inspired by spending some of each year in a magical Brittany forest associated with the Brocéliande of the Grail legends, which forms the subject of a preceding (as yet unpublished) book, and partly inspired by her Tongues in Trees teaching work. Continuing up the trail, a huge sequoia had shattered. The trunk was sheared off, revealing the brown interior with massive shards of the tree scattered on the ground. At the edge of ridge, any trace of the trail vanished. The fire had scorched as far as I could see.

Glennie's passion for trees is infectious, and inspires us to look more closely, listen more intently and walk with trees more often. She shares her stories and encounters with trees and weaves together many ways to deepen our engagement with them, from growing them, harvesting and using them for medicine, food, and craftwork. She also encourages us to find our way into a more subtle and intuitive relationship with the trees, as part of our journey to heal our fractured relationship with the Earth. Walking with Trees is a rich compendium of arboreal wisdom, ancient and modern, spiritual and practical from a wise and compassionate teacher of Earth wisdom. Glennie Kindred’s gentle, power-full words and images move us deeper into ourselves and deeper into the world, to the place of no separation. This is where we need to be at this time.
" - Lucy H. Pearce, Womancraft author of Medicine Woman; Burning Woman; Full Circle Health and Moon Time.
"This book is both a love affair made visible and the deepest bow of respect and reverence to the standing ones who grace our lives. To read this is to receive a direct transmission of Glennie’s soul, threaded through with a depth of knowledge and fascination that captivates and educates. Astonishing." - Clare Dubois, Founder of Tree Sisters. TreeSisters.org Nathan Stephenson and Christy Brigham, “Preliminary Estimates of Sequoia Mortality in the 2020 Castle Fire,” version: 25 June 2021. https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/preliminary-estimates-of-sequoia-mortality-in-the-2020-castle-fire.htm. Last accessed July, 22, 2022. Rain also helps ensure there are plenty of nutrients available from decomposing organic matter such as leaves, twigs, bark, etc. This provides essential nourishment for the tree’s growth and development. By breaking down these materials into simpler forms, rain enables them to be absorbed more easily by soil organisms. This process allows them to access vital minerals required by living things like nitrogen phosphorus, potassium, etc. What joy, then, a few months into delivering this course, to receive a review copy of Glennie Kindred’s newest and most comprehensive tree book to date.

Glennie’s book reminded me of our deep, timeless connection. Through her sharing I felt the deep connection of our ancestors continuing through these beautiful beings (the trees) and that my steps and how I work with the trees will impact and add to this continued timeless human connection. The book left me with feelings of deep reverence but also equally empowered within this co-creative relationship we all have with the trees. I feel grounded, realistic and positive about my continued efforts as an ‘earth warrior’ and inspired to keep taking small steps.
" - Dee Dade, teacher of wild herbcraft and plant spirit connection Like the Ents from JRR Tolkien’s epic Lord of the Rings saga (only a bit slower), these trees actually move across the forest as the growth of new roots gradually relocates them, sometimes two or three centimetres per day. While some scientists debate whether these trees walk, Peter Vrsansky, a palaeobiologist from the Earth Science Institute of the Slovak Academy of Sciences Bratisla, claims to have seen this phenomenon first hand.