[MAIPC] review of The Hidden Life of Trees

[MarneyB]

I don’t think this is a proper forum for this discussion. Please take off list.

Marney

> On Feb 8, 2019, at 9:31 AM, Muth, Norris (MUTH) <MUTH at juniata.edu> wrote:
> 
> Thank you Stephen for an excellent review of a rather unfortunate work of fiction posing as fact. I don’t say lightly that I think this book, which has the appearance of being favorable to environmental protection, actually threatens support for environmental protection in the long run. Regardless of its intent, it would have us replace the hard–earned scientific rationales which form the often rough and impersonal foundation of the modern environmental movement with elegant pillars of spun sugar.
> 
> Norris
> —
> Norris Z. Muth, Ph.D. 
> Associate Professor, Biology
> Office: 814-641-3632 | 1054 VLB
> Juniata College
> 1700 Moore Street 
> Huntingdon, PA 16652
> muthlab.org <http://muthlab.org/> | NativePlantAdvocate.org <http://nativeplantadvocate.org/>
> 
> From: Stephen Hiltner <stevehiltner at gmail.com <mailto:stevehiltner at gmail.com>>
> Date: Friday, February 8, 2019 at 7:28 AM
> To: MAIPC Listserve <maipc at lists.maipc.org <mailto:maipc at lists.maipc.org>>, "INVASIVES at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU <mailto:INVASIVES at LISTSERV.UMD.EDU>" <INVASIVES at listserv.umd.edu <mailto:INVASIVES at listserv.umd.edu>>
> Subject: [MAIPC] review of The Hidden Life of Trees
> 
> Like the books that deny the problem of invasive species, The Hidden Life of Trees is written by a non-scientist and was reviewed most prominently in the mainstream media by non-scientists. It was a best seller first in Germany, then in the US. I first heard about it while serving on an advisory committee for local sustainability, where a member of our shade tree commission started talking about mama trees and baby trees. Then a friend gave me a copy, and I started digging into it a bit. It's amazing how a book that's such a mix of information and misinformation can garner such positive reviews. 
> 
> I decided to write my own review that details some of the problematic aspects, including a mishmash chapter on invasive species:
> https://newscompanion.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-hidden-life-of-trees-review.html <https://newscompanion.blogspot.com/2019/01/the-hidden-life-of-trees-review.html>
> 
> It would be interesting to hear others' views of the book, and encounters with people who had read it.
> 
> Steve
> PrincetonNatureNotes.org <http://princetonnaturenotes.org/>
> 
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