Indoor Program — Tom Wessels: Reading the Forested Landscape

Based on Tom’s book, Reading the Forested Landscape, A Natural History of New England, this program introduces us to approaches that we can use to interpret a forest’s history while wandering through it. Using evidence such as the shapes of trees, scars on their trunks, the pattern of decay in stumps, the construction of stone walls, and the lay of the land, it is possible to unravel  complex stories  etched   into our forested   land-

scape. This process could easily be called forest forensics, since it is quite similar to interpreting a crime scene. In the words of this eminent ecologist and author, emeritus professor of environmental studies, and leader of ecology and sustainability workshops for more than 30 years: “It is wonderful to know nature through one-on-one encounters with other organisms, but it is perhaps more empowering to gain a fuller understanding of the patterns that have shaped its landscapes. Reading the land- scape is not just about identifying landscape patterns; more importantly, it is an interactive narrative that involves humans and nature. For those interested in enhancing their sense of place, I know of no better way than by becoming intimately acquainted with their local forests and the fascinating stories they tell.”