The Hidden Life of Trees

WKTV Staff

Quote of the Day

"Even the southeast side of Grand Rapids must bow to the beauty of a Michigan fall."*
          -Daniel Abbott, The Concrete

Trunks Full of Treats

Kentwood’s Fall Festival includes Trunk or Treat. (WKTV)

The City of Kentwood will host its annual Fall Festival this Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon.

Among the activities will be the annual Trunk or Treat when city and community organizations decorate their trunks and hand out candy to area children. Participants will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite decorated trunk. Also taking place will be face painting, hayrides, a bounce house, and games.

Go Hike, Get a Prize

If you head out on the trails this weekend, you might be lucky enough to score a surprise from Merrell, the shoe company. Merrell team members will be handing out swag bags and gift cards along The Ales Trail starting at Outside Coffee Co., 734 Wealthy St. SE, and making its way to several area breweries, ending at the New Holland Knickerbocker. The event is lead by urban-thru-hiker Liz Thomas who has been making her way through the local trails to help encourage residents to get out and hike.

Brewed Spirits

The phantom footprint preserved in the upstairs bar.

The Mitten Brewing Co. creates some of the area’s best brews and apparently those from the afterworld agree as they are still hanging around the former firehouse. Since opening, staff and guests have reported paranormal activity in the building located at 527 Leonard St. NE.

Co-owner Christ Andrus said he believes that whatever is haunting the former Engine House No. 9 is just playing pranks on people. Regardless if you believe or not, it makes for some great tall tales over some award-winning brew. (The Mitten’s West Coast Swing Amber took a Gold Medal at the 2018 Great American Beer Festival.)

Fun Fact:

5,062 Years

That is how old a bristlecone in California is, making it the oldest individual living tree. (For reference, wooly mamnoths died about 4,000 years. Want to learn more about trees? Then snatch up a copy of "The Hidden Life of Trees" by Peter Wohlleben, and then join the book discussion on Nov. 8 at the KDL Kelloggsville. The program will be lead by the City of Wyoming Tree Commission starting at 6:30 p.m..

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma

joanne@wktv.org

Trees will be the focus of the KDL Kelloggsville branch’s first-ever book talk Nov. 8 as the Wyoming Tree Commission will help lead the discussion on Peter Wohlleben’s groundbreaking book “The Hidden Life of Trees.”

“As we worked on increasing the tree cover in Wyoming, I came across this book and it is an amazing book,” said Tree Commissioner Jim Ward who will be leading the talk with KDL Kelloggsville’s Mike Zurgable.

Released in 2016, “The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate, Discoveries from a Secret World” is the first book in The Mysteries of Nature Trilogy by Wohlleben, a German forest ranger. The second book, “The Inner Life of Animals” was released last year and the third book, “The Secret Wisdom of Nature” has just been released.

In “Hidden Life of Trees,” Wohlleben shares his love of the woods and forests, discussing the process of life and death. He gives the trees human qualities as parents with children, communicating to each other, and supporting each other. Wohlleben draws from new discoveries, presenting the science behind the secret and previously unknown life of trees and their communication abilities.

“He talks about things about the trees that no one ever knew,” Ward said. “How the trees take care of each other. That they actually make noises and they actually make a smell to identify who they are to other trees and to defend themselves against critters chewing or invading them.”

So impressed with Wohlleben’s book that when approached about hosting a book talk at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch, it was the book on the top of Ward’s list.

“We are so honored to be able to participate in the book talk,” Ward said. “It is an opportunity for us to promote what we are doing in the City of Wyoming and our efforts to increase the tree canopy.”

Ward said the talk will generate discussion on the value of trees and what they offer a city beyond just beautifying it, serving as a launch pad in the city’s continuing efforts of being a Tree City U.S.A.

Copies of “The Hidden Life of Trees” are available at the KDL Kelloggsville branch, located in the Kelloggsville High School, 4787 S. Division Ave. The book discussion will be from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8, at the KDL Kelloggsvile branch.

For more on the Tree Commission activities, click here. For more on KDL programs, visit kdl.org.