The Progressive Commentary Hour - 09.15.21

Risk of losing our forests and how optimistic should we be about climate change

 

If Jane Goodall is the ambassador for the animal kingdom, and Vandana Shiva is the ambassador for seeds, then Diana Beresford-Kroeger is unquestionably the global ambassador speaking on behalf of the world’s trees and forests. I know of no other person who possesses the wisdom of the forest as Diana -- an Irish-Canadian researcher, botanical scientist, medical biochemist and Celtic nature mystic. She has written extensively on the molecular biology of trees, their medicinal properties, trees’ social interactions in the forest and with other life forms, forest conservation, and the traditional wisdom trees hold for healing. In the past Diana has held science posts at the Canadian Department of Agriculture and the University of Ottawa School of Medicine.  She is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was named a World Visionary by Utne Reader. Her research gardens outside Ottawa, open to the public, include rare plants from Turkey, Iran, China, and a hundred rare types of species from the northern forests and other countries, many that are endangered.  Diana has written several spell binding books including “To Speak to the Trees: My Life's Journey from Ancient Celtic Wisdom to a Healing Vision of the Forest” and there is an awarding winning documentary “The Call of the Forest: The Forgotten Wisdom of Trees” that highlights Diana’s work across many nations exploring the secrets of northern forests.  More about her work can be found at CallOfTheForest.ca