Review by Booklist Review
After becoming intrigued by the yew tree behind his home, Rawlence (City of Thorns, 2016) embarked on a grand investigation of the forest-tundra ecotone, aka the treeline, which serves as a transition zone between northerly ecosystems. As he explains, the treeline is not a line at all but rather a zone which ranges from mere feet to hundreds of miles wide, crossing continents while fulfilling a crucial task as the "lungs of the world." His erudite examination makes clear that the northern forest is in trouble. As Rawlence studies its history and northerly migration in Wales, Norway, Alaska, and Canada, readers will be swept up by both his passion and powerfully effective research. Talking to cultural historians, writers, biologists, and ecologists, Rawlence immerses himself in each location, introducing the concept of "trees on the march" and what that means to the planet's health. His literary perspective, notable for its range of sources, is compelling, intriguing, and thoroughly engaging. Rawlence brings trees to the forefront of the climate-change war, conjuring images of zombie forests, grandmother trees, and the forestry management heroes dedicated to their cause. A title of the utmost importance at a time of tremendous peril, The Treeline is a game-changer.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Rawlence (City of Thorns), founder of Black Mountains College, in Wales, explores the boreal forests along Earth's shifting treeline in this eloquent account. Because of climate change, trees are migrating north, though "they shouldn't be," Rawlence writes, and to find out more about why, he travels across Canada, Siberia, Norway, Greenland, and Alaska to speak with ecologists and naturalists. He visits Sami reindeer herders in Norway who want the government to stop birch trees from encroaching on the tundra, because they disturb the lichen that reindeer feed on; treks over sea ice on Russia's Taimyr Peninsula to meet with Nganasan families who call a "cryolithic larch forest" home; and describes in exquisite detail some of the world's hardiest trees--Alaska's spruce, Canada's balsam poplar, Siberia's larch, Norway's downy birch, and Greenland's mountain ash, which "disconnected from other populations... kept its own time, evolving to suit its new habitat." Rawlence's research leads him to conclude that change is inevitable, and every person--and every tree--must adapt to survive. His awe at the beauty and power of trees is moving: "Ancient trees are a source of wonder." he writes. Nature lovers and travelers alike will find this a lovely paean to a rapidly changing landscape. (Feb.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
In this work, Rawlence (City of Thorns: Nine Lives in the World's Largest Refugee Camp; Radio Congo) travels the treeline, stopping in northern Scotland, Norway, Siberia, Alaska, northern Canada, and Greenland, describing along the way the tree species (yew, pine, birch, larch, spruce, poplar, ash) that are indigenous to extreme climates. He examines the treeline's steady northward advance as the planet warms, and its implications for life on earth. In accessible and inviting writing, Rawlence demonstrates that the lives of trees impact even sea creatures and ocean currents; he stresses how all lifeforms are connected. His travels also introduce scientists (such as the acclaimed Diana Beresford-Kroeger) and non-scientist Indigenous peoples who study and try to preserve the ecosystems within which these trees thrive. His writing vividly brings readers inside the natural boreal forest settings he visits. In an eloquent epilogue, Rawlence finds that hope comes from recognizing that although much is unknown and mysterious about nature, all people must be stewards of the Earth, making an impact with every personal choice; all evolution is co-evolution, he writes. The book includes a glossary of trees. VERDICT Highly recommended for readers interested in nature, conservation, and climate change. --Caren Nichter, Univ. of Tennessee at Martin
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
Trees portend the future of Earth. A former researcher for Human Rights Watch, Rawlence has reported on vulnerable humans in war-torn Africa and in refugee camps, experiences he potently chronicled in City of Thorns and Radio Congo. His latest investigation focuses on the greatest threat to all life on the planet: climate change. To document global warming, he set out to trace the tree line, the area beyond which trees are not able to grow: "a transition zone between ecosystems" that has moved northward, "no longer a matter of inches per century," but rather "hundreds of feet every year." He continues, "the trees are on the move. They shouldn't be." The author looks particularly at six trees--three conifers and three broadleaves: Scots pine in Wales; downy birch in Norway; Dahurian larch on the Russian taiga; spruce in Alaska; balsam poplar in Canada; and mountain ash in Greenland. Each reveals a teeming "mosaic of species" as well as indelible practical, cultural, and spiritual contributions to humans. The downy birch, for example, has been used "for tools, houses, fuel, food and medicine, it is home to microbes, fungi and insects central to the food chain and is critical for sheltering other plants needed to make a forest." Rawlence evokes the natural world in lyrical, delicate prose: the "eerie and unending" dawn in Norway; the "noble air" of the larch; the "sprawling limbs" of the balsam poplar. On his journey, he discussed the issue with scientists, environmentalists, forestry experts, Indigenous peoples, reindeer herders, and farmers. He learned that climate change does not necessarily mean extinction but sometimes overgrowth and that temperature change can disorient animals' movements. If reindeer, for example, don't know when to move to winter pastures, their overgrazing can decimate a habitat. Rawlence offers no solutions for changes to come, only hope "in shared endeavor, in transformation, in meaningful work for the common good." Harper's botanical drawings complement the text. A timely, urgent message delivered in graceful fashion. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
