Project Lead

Dr. Suzanne Simard is a Professor of Forest Ecology at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and the leader of The Mother Tree Project. Her research focuses on the complexity and interconnectedness of nature and is guided by her deep connection to the land and her time spent amongst the trees.

She is known for her work on how trees interact and communicate using below-ground fungal networks. Her work with her students led to the recognition that forests have hub trees, or Mother Trees, which are large, highly connected trees that play an important role in the flow of information and resources in a forest.

Her current research investigates how these complex relationships contribute to forest resiliency, adaptability and recovery. This research has far-reaching implications for land use management, including the sustainable stewardship of forest ecosystems as climate changes.

Dr. Simard holds a PhD and MSc in Forest Ecology from Oregon State University and a BSF in Forest Resource Management from the University of British Columbia. She obtained Registered Professional Forester Status in 1986. In her career, she has published over 200 peer-reviewed articles and presented at conferences around the world.

She is an advocate for science communication and empowers people with science-based knowledge to help manage and heal forests from human impacts, including climate change. She has communicated her work to a wide audience through interviews, documentary films and her TEDTalk “How trees talk to one another”. Her upcoming book, “Finding the Mother Tree” will be published in May 2021 by Penguin Random House.