The Memory of Trees

by Viki Cramer

Most Australians see their world through eucalypts. From towering forests to straggly woodlands, in city parks, by the coast and in the bush, these are the trees that inhabit our familiar landscapes and national psyche. Yet the resilience of our eucalypt ecosystems is being tested by logging and land clearing, disease and drought, fire and climate change. In many places they are a faded remnant of those known by past generations. How important is the memory of these trees?

In search of answers, Viki Cramer takes us on a journey through the richest botanical corner of the continent, exploring forests of rugged jarrah and majestic karri, woodlands of enduring salmon gum and burnished-bark gimlet. Spending time with the people caring for these precious places, she interrogates the decisions of the past, takes a measure of the present and glimpses hope for the landscapes of tomorrow.

The Memory of Trees will make you look anew at the trees and environments that sustain us and show the many ways that, together, we can ensure their future.

Genres: Nonfiction, Australia

304 pages, Paperback

Published June 1, 2023

Reviews

[Jennifer Goedde · Rating 5 out of 5]

How incredible is the Australian flora. Especially loved the refresher of the eucalyptus tree’s proficiency at regenerating after fire.


The imagery in this book was so beautiful I (almost) felt I was walking through a forest while on the plane home from Adelaide.


A sad an stunning song of praise for the beautiful Australian bush. We are so lucky to be alive to see (parts of) our country, still so pristine and so delightful

[Mack · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book highlighted so many issues for our native trees in the Australian environment and the decline of trees in our rural land. This decline is a result of clearing by man for farming and mining.
I took a drive up to where the author described where Alcoa is mining on the Darling scarp and I felt that the lucky country’s luck has run out. I was shocked and saddened to see the landscape without much of its attractiveness. A person with a bulldozer does so much harm than a hundred farmers can heal in a lifetime. I couldn’t see a lot of rehabilitation treatment happening to stop the further degradation of the land. Considering it takes most eucalypt seeds several years to develop and twenty and more years to grow is concerning.

[Kate Jax · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful book, but can’t help being left feeling somewhat dejected by the tale that was told of the total mismanagement of our beautiful country. I hope our governments make some meaningful policy and funding commitments to work towards rehabilitating our country.

[Kate Brennan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cried! I love trees and this book!

[Alexandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Packed full of interesting information, I loved that this book is all about the Eucalyptus trees and flora of Perth, Western Australia and the South-west.