Trees

Art Wolfe’s immersive photos capture the wonder humans have felt about trees for millennia.

From the biblical Tree of Life to the Native American Tree of Peace, trees have played an archetypal role in human culture and spirituality since time immemorial. An integral part of a variety of faiths—from Buddhism and Hinduism to Native American and aboriginal religions—trees were venerated long before any written historical records existed.

Through the vivid images of legendary photographer Art Wolfe, Trees focuses on both individual specimens and entire forests with traditional and cultural significance to communities of people and offers a sweeping yet intimate look at the arboreal world that spans six continents.

The text by Gregory McNamee presents a diverse account of the legends, literary works, and conservation efforts that convey the long-standing symbiosis between trees and humans. Wolfe shares his personal views in brief photographer’s notes, and renowned ethnobotanist Wade Davis anchors the text with a knowledgeable introduction.

Award-winning photographer Art Wolfe has worked on every continent and in hundreds of locations over his forty-year career. His stunning images interpret and record the world’s fast-disappearing natural treasures and are a lasting inspiration to those who seek to preserve them. 

Gregory McNamee is the author or editor of thirty-five books and is a consultant and contributing editor to the Encyclopaedia Britannica and its blog. 

Wade Davis is a critically acclaimed, internationally best-selling author and anthropologist with a PhD in ethnobotany. Davis’s many books include The Serpent and the Rainbow, One River, The Wayfinders, and Into the Silence. Between 1999 and 2013, Davis served as explorer-in-residence at the National Geographic Society, and he is currently professor of anthropology and the LEEF Chair in Cultures and Ecosystems at Risk at the University of British Columbia.