Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America
Take a walk in the woods, from the redwoods of the west to the cypress swamps of the south, with this immersive and restorative guide.
Welcome to the SciFri Book Club page about Forest Walking by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst. There’s lots of ways to participate: Read the book, join our community space, attend an event, sign up for our email newsletter, or email us with your thoughts.
This September, the SciFri Book Club is reading Forest Walking: Discovering the Trees and Woodlands of North America by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst. When you walk in the woods, do you use all five senses to explore your surroundings? For most of us, the answer is no—but when we do, a walk in the woods can go from ordinary and pleasant to immersive and restorative. From the author of The Hidden Life of Trees, this guide teaches you how to engage with the forest by decoding nature’s signs and cluing into the past and present of the ecosystem around you.
Forest Walking brings together a range of topics, including forestry, botany, dendrology, ecology, hiking, community building and more—and we’ll touch on these ideas throughout this Book Club season. You can get your copy from your local bookstore or on Bookshop.org.
This Book Club season kicks off Sunday, September 1, and you can read along with us! We’ll be (loosely) following this schedule, but all our readers are welcome to join us at their own pace:
- September 1-8: Chapters 1-6
- September 9-15: Chapters 7-11
- September 16-22: Chapters 12-16
- September 23-30: Chapters 17-21 + Final Thoughts
Plus, we’ll be hosting events throughout the month! Keep an eye out on our website or join our Events newsletter to be the first to know.
There are so many ways to dive in and participate! You can grab a copy of the book (and support the author and SciFri), join the discussion in our online Book Club community, sign up for our email newsletter, or RSVP for our upcoming Book Club events. Check out all the details below.
Grab Your Own Copy
Science Friday, in partnership with Greystone Books, is giving away 10 free copies of the paperback of Forest Walking by Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst. Enter for your chance to win today!
This form will close at 10:00 a.m. ET on Friday, August 23. Winners will be chosen randomly, and notified via email no later than Monday, August 26. Our Book Club for this book officially begins on September 1, 2024!
If you’d like to purchase a physical copy, we encourage you to start local! Check out the SciFri Book Club partner bookstores and libraries—if you’re in the area, consider supporting your local bookseller or public library (plus, mention our Book Club for a percentage off your purchase at participating shops!).
If they don’t have the book in stock or you’d rather purchase online, you can support Science Friday by buying your copy on our Bookshop.org page.
Want more ways to read? This book is available in a few formats via online retailers, your local library, or elsewhere:
Your local library may not currently have The Invention of Nature in its catalog, but many branches offer ways for patrons like you to submit book suggestions to librarians. Look for ways to suggest new titles via the Libby or OverDrive app, a form submission on your library’s website, or a suggestion box at your local branch!
Save The Date: SciFri Book Club Events
Forest Walking: Livestream and Q&A with the Authors
Unpredictable weather changes and an increase in heat waves have made it more difficult to stay safe outside recently—co-authors Peter Wohlleben and Jane Billinghurst are here to help! Hear from these experienced naturalists on how their book teaches readers to engage with their local forested areas in a deeper way.
Join us online for a livestream on the science topics featured in the SciFri Book Club pick for September 2024. Come with your queries and wonderings—we’ll be taking your questions in the livestream comments!
SciFri Book Club September community meeting: Forest Walking
Want to meet other SciFri Book Club members, talk about the book selection, and find more resources for deeper learning—all without leaving your home? Our community meeting is the place for you!
This discussion meeting will focus on themes and topics featured in Forest Walking. You’re welcome to join us no matter your reading progress—come chat with other science-interested folks about forestry, botany, dendrology, ecology, hiking, community building and more.
Join Our Community Space
And as you start reading, join us on our online community space: the SciFri Book Club is on Mighty Networks, a platform where we can gather, read and discuss science books together. We’ve built this community space to create a better way for readers to stay connected with other Book Clubbers, and we hope you’ll join us there!
Sign Up For Our Newsletter
Subscribe to SciFri Book Club emails to stay updated on our monthly read sand join us for community discussions. We’ll send emails a few times per week.