“Hearing the Language of Trees,” explores the intelligence of plants and the author’s connection with them. The author, Robin Wall Kimmerer, discusses Indigenous reverence for trees. She focuses particularly on White Pines, noting how they are seen as unique and sovereign beings in various Indigenous cultures. Kimmerer highlights the wisdom and longevity symbolized by White Pines and their role as elders in the natural world. She emphasizes that traditional cultures recognize intelligence in all living beings, not just humans, and how trees communicate and tell their stories through their bodies and growth patterns. Kimmerer challenges the human-centric view of intelligence and explores the concept of adaptively flexible behavior in plants, suggesting that their unique sensory and response systems deserve further exploration and understanding. The article ultimately encourages readers to reconnect with nature and appreciate the wisdom that trees and other beings offer to the world.
