Understanding the Mother Tree Project: A Simple Guide to Saving Our Forests

Have you ever wondered if trees can talk to each other? Dr. Suzanne Simard, a forest ecologist from the University of British Columbia, thinks they do—and her Mother Tree Project is proving it! This amazing research shows how forests are like big, friendly families, and it could help save places like Banner Heritage Forest Park.

What’s the Mother Tree Project?

Dr. Simard discovered that trees are connected underground by tiny fungi called mycorrhizal networks—think of it like a forest internet! Big, old trees, which she calls Mother Trees, act like wise leaders. They share water, nutrients, and even warnings about dangers (like bugs or drought) with younger trees, especially their own “kids.” This teamwork helps the whole forest stay healthy, store carbon, and bounce back from tough times like logging or climate change.

The Mother Tree Project

The Mother Tree Project

Why It Matters

Her work shows that cutting down all the big trees—something we’re worried about with Banner Forest’s thinning plan—hurts this family system. Mother Trees are key to keeping forests strong and diverse. Without them, young trees struggle, and the forest loses its ability to fight off pests or store carbon. In Banner’s moist, lush setting, this natural connection could protect our park better than the county’s profit-driven thinning idea.

A Hope for Banner

The Mother Tree Project suggests we should leave old trees standing and let nature do its job—perfect for advocating proforestation (passive management) at Banner. Dr. Simard’s research, done with help from Indigenous knowledge and scientists, proves forests thrive when we work with them, not against them. Let’s use this wisdom to save Banner’s magic!

Want to dive deeper? Check out Dr. Simard’s full 1-hour “Trees and the Social Forests”