Suzanne Simard revolutionized how we understand forests with her discovery of the “wood wide web,” the vast underground network that allows trees to communicate and cooperate. Her research showed the world that forests are not just collections of individuals but living communities bound together through resilience, resource sharing, and reciprocity.
In this conversation with co-hosts Kai Chan (professor and Canada Research Chair at UBC) and Nancy Kang (professor and Canada Research Chair at the U of Manitoba), Suzanne shares stories from her scientific journey, the challenges of pushing against entrenched paradigms (including women’s roles in forestry), and the urgency of rethinking our relationship with the natural world. Along the way, she reflects on what forests can teach us about kinship, care, and commitment in a time of ecological crisis.
@drsuzannesimard.bsky.social: BlueSky
