The Wonder of Trees - Dame Judi Dench, Tony Kirkham and Tristan Gooley

What It Covers

Dame Judi Dench, arborist Tony Kirkham, and natural navigator Tristan Gooley explore tree biology, communication networks, ancient specimens, and how to read environmental clues encoded in tree shapes, branches, and growth patterns.

Key Questions Answered

• •Tree growth mechanics: Trees grow upwards only during primary growth; once bark forms, trunks stop moving vertically and only expand outward. Graffiti carved into bark stays at the same height permanently, while new branches form higher up and lower ones are shed.
• •Underground communication networks: Trees connect through mycorrhizal fungi acting like fiber optic cables, sharing resources and warning signals between specimens. When one tree faces stress or attack, the network redistributes nutrients and increases defensive tannin production in neighboring trees within minutes.
• •Natural navigation using asymmetry: Wind triggers thigmomorphogenesis (touch-change-growth), making trees on southwest sides of woodlands shortest due to prevailing gales. South-facing branches grow more densely, leaves become smaller and lighter, and bird droppings concentrate there, creating reliable directional indicators.
• •Ancient specimens and longevity: Bristlecone pines in California's White Mountains reach 4,000-5,000 years old through increment core dating. The tallest tree, Hyperion coastal redwood, measures 115.7 meters. General Sherman giant redwood lost a branch larger than any redwood outside California while remaining the world's biggest tree.