In the Media: April 2026

Dr. Suzanne Simard, Professor of Forest Ecology at the Faculty of Forestry & Environmental Stewardship is publishing her second book: ‘When the Forest Breathes”, an immersive journey through the heart and soul of the forest to experience the workings and impact of the rich ecosystems. The novel also explores the impact and contribution of Indigenous people in protecting these forests for millennia, and that there is much to learn from their way of seeing, caring for, and tending the forest.

We interviewed her at the Malcolm Knapp Research Forest to learn more about her writing process and the inspiration behind her book.

What can you tell us about When The Forest Breathes?

In the last couple of hundred years, forests have been deeply impacted by forestry practices and colonial stewardship. Through my work, including the Mother Tree Project, I have investigated the condition of our forests—what they are telling us about how to care for them and how listening to Indigenous voices can help guide the path forward to keep forests healthy and resilient.

We have learned many things about forest biodiversity, how forests store carbon, how they interact with climate, and how we can better protect these incredible places. My earlier work in Finding the Mother Tree focused on the connections within forests how trees are interconnected in communities through fungal networks called mycorrhizal networks.

These networks bind trees together, and we discovered that large, old trees what we call mother trees, serve as central hubs in these networks. This helps us see forests as whole ecosystems rather than separate elements like trees, soil, or fungi.

In When the Forest Breathes, I talk more about how we have been disrupting these connections through modern forest management. I also describe better ways forward, such as protecting large old trees, soils, and forest floors, to maintain the vitality and regenerative capacity of forests. The book points to new ways of tending forests while also drawing on ancestral knowledge rooted in care, respect, and reciprocity.

How is this book timely given the climate and biodiversity crisis that we are currently facing?

We are currently facing several environmental crises. Climate change is real and affects the everyday lives of people across Canada and around the world. At the same time, we are experiencing a biodiversity crisis, with scientists warning that we are in the sixth mass extinction.

Forests play a huge role in stabilizing these systems and helping mitigate these losses. The book discusses how we can protect forests and also log them more responsibly so we can still obtain materials while doing so in a gentler way that protects plants and carbon pools. If managed properly, forests can help solve climate change rather than contribute to it.

Another important issue is wildfire. Canada—especially western Canada and western North America—has been experiencing increasing wildfire activity. The book discusses how these fires affect our lives and how we can help forests become more resilient to fire. By strengthening forest ecosystems, we can also help society better deal with these wildfire challenges.

Responsible forest stewardship is a key theme in this book. Tell us more about your work with your Indigenous partners.

I work with a number of First Nations across British Columbia, both along the coast and in the interior. Together we are incorporating Indigenous perspectives that view forests as connected systems in which humans are part of the natural cycle.

When we understand forests in this respectful way, it changes how we manage them. I collaborate with several Indigenous leaders and communities across the province. Together we are exploring ways to protect old trees—especially cedar trees, which are considered the tree of life for many coastal nations.

We are also working to restore forests that have been damaged by industrial forestry over the past century. Many of these lands are now covered by second-growth forests that are not in healthy condition. These ecosystems require careful restoration and stewardship.

In the interior regions, we are also working on approaches that reduce wildfire risk while improving biodiversity and ecosystem health so forests can better withstand climate change.

How does this book reflect and build on your work within the faculty?

I have been a professor at the Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Stewardship at the University of British Columbia for 23 years. Before that, I was an undergraduate student there in the early 1980s, so I have been connected to the faculty for a long time.

All of my work builds on the experiences I have had within the faculty. Through teaching and research, I have contributed to the body of knowledge that the faculty has shared with the world.

More recently, my collaboration with Indigenous communities has become especially important to me. Working with people who have lived on these lands for thousands of years allows us to honor their knowledge and learn from it. Their insights can help us improve how we interact with and care for these landscapes.

While I have contributed through science and teaching, my community-based work has become the most meaningful part of my career.

What is the main message that you hope readers take away from this new book?

The main message is that there is a great deal of hope in the world, and forests are places of hope. Forests are highly regenerative systems. Even after disturbance, they are filled with seeds, roots, stumps, animals, and life that allow them to recover.

Because of this regenerative capacity, forests are one of the most important natural solutions to climate change and biodiversity loss. They provide habitat for about 80% of terrestrial species in Canada, store around 80% of the country’s carbon, and supply roughly 80% of Canada’s freshwater.

Many Indigenous communities in Canada also live in forested regions, making forests essential culturally as well as ecologically.

My hope is that people understand that forests can recover if we take the time to care for them. If we invest our effort, respect, and commitment into working with these ecosystems, we can help restore what has been lost and create a healthier future for generations to come.

When The Forest Breathes is out now!

Join Dr. Simard for the launch of When the Forest Breathes at the UBC Celebrates Earth Day with Suzanne Simard event on April 22.