When the Forest Breathes

The trailblazing scientist who pioneered the concept of sophisticated communication between trees returns with a book that, drawing on rigorous science and neglected indigenous wisdom, places nature’s own cycles of renewal at the center of a powerful vision for the future of our forests.

The book will be released on on March 31, 2026 and is available now to pre-order:

View a full list of pre-order options, including large print, e-book and audio formats.

About the Book

With her bestselling book Finding the Mother Tree, forest ecologist Suzanne Simard advanced a revelatory new paradigm for the profound intelligence and interconnectedness of trees. Now, with When the Forest Breathes, she uncovers the ways that nature’s deep-rooted cycles of renewal can ensure the longevity of threatened ecosystems.

Raised in a family of loggers committed to sensible forest stewardship, Simard has watched timber companies plunder the forest for profit. Ignoring Indigenous communities’ abundant knowledge of the natural world and its rich complexities, they leave in their wake an environment more prone to wildfire, water crisis, and plant and animal life extinction.

But Simard’s research has the potential to chart a new course. The forest, she reveals, is a symphony of finely honed cycles of regeneration—from mushrooms breaking down logs to dying elder trees passing their genetic knowledge to younger ones—that hold the key to protecting our forests from the threats of logging and climate change. Leading one of the most ambitious climate research initiatives ever undertaken, Simard and her team examine how various human interventions—particularly loggers’ destruction of the overstory’s mother trees—affect new growth and fire risk in her native British Columbia. Working closely with local Indigenous communities, whose models of responsible forest stewardship have been largely dismissed, they unearth groundbreaking findings that, if implemented, could ensure the survival of these ecosystems for generations to come.

As Simard considers how older living things facilitate the conditions for new growth to flourish, she faces parallel rhythms of loss and regeneration in her own life, watching her two daughters grow into young women and savoring her final days with her ailing mother. With wisdom and warmth, she guides us to all that nature has to teach us about adaptability, resilience, and community.

When the Forest Breathes is an emboldening declaration that when we take responsible steps, reversing the effects of climate change is within reach. In elegant prose teeming with reverence for the natural world, Simard shares with all of us the gift of her ingenuity, commitment, and optimism.

Praise

“A masterclass on the inner workings of forests—a lush glimpse at the symphonic mutualisms and intergenerational cascades that sustain life at every scale. Simard, one of the boundary-pushing scientists of our time, is also a resplendent storyteller. Through her, new threads of connection between Indigenous knowledge and Western science are formed. The experiments and ideas in When the Forest Breathes are quietly revolutionary. This is science as an act of love for the world.”

Zoë Schlanger

Author of The Light Eaters

“This passionate study from ecologist Simard reveals how preserving forests’ natural cycles of death and renewal is key to their longevity....Throughout, Simard artfully highlights the importance of honoring natural cycles by reflecting on her daughter’s coming-of-age and her mother’s reaching the end of her life. The result is a resonant and urgent call for change.”

Publishers Weekly

“A captivating journey into the deep woods....Simard clearly conveys the excitement of planning and carrying out her experiments, as well as the many obstacles to be conquered….Her gratitude toward and appreciation for [her] students... is touching, as they follow in her footsteps and come up with enticing new projects of their own....Simard’s lyrical tributes to the creatures large and small that make up an ecological system, from fungi and moss to squirrels and bears to the largest and oldest of trees, add a dimension of heart ...A determinedly hopeful tribute to natural regeneration.”

Kirkus

“In this fervent follow-up to Finding the Mother Tree, forest ecologist Simard delivers a potent mix of superb science writing, environmental advocacy, and a sense of spirituality inspired by her close connection to the natural world....Throughout these pages, one mighty message reverberates: protect the trees and save the forests.”

Booklist (starred review)