Take to the Trees: A Story of Hope, Science, and Self-Discovery in America's Imperiled Forests

by Marguerite Holloway

One of Heatmap's Climate Books to Read in 2025

An empowering journey into the overstory with the arborists and forest experts safeguarding our iconic trees.

Journalist Marguerite Holloway arrives at the Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop as a climbing novice, but with a passion for trees and a deep concern about their future. Run by twin sister tree doctors Bear LeVangie and Melissa LeVangie Ingersoll, the workshop helps people—from everyday tree lovers to women arborists working in a largely male industry—develop impressive technical skills and ascend into the canopy. As Holloway tackles unfamiliar equipment and dizzying heights, she learns about the science of trees and tells the stories of charismatic species, including hemlock, aspen, Atlantic white cedar, oak, and beech. She spotlights experts who are chronicling the great dying that is underway in forests around the world as trees face simultaneous and accelerating threats from drought, heat, floods, disease, and other disruptions.

As she climbs, Holloway also comes to understand the profound significance of trees in her relationship with her late mother and brother. The book’s rousing final chapter offers something new: a grander environmental and arboreal optimism, in which the story of trees and their resilience meshes with that of people working to steward the forests of the future, and of community found among fellow tree climbers. A lyrical work of memoir and reportage, Take to the Trees sounds the alarm about rapid arboreal decline while also offering hope about how we might care for our forests and ourselves.

Genres: Nonfiction, Nature, Science, Memoir

304 pages, Hardcover

Published May 13, 2025

About the author

Marguerite Holloway is is a professor at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Journalism and has written for the New York Times and the New Yorker, among other publications. She is the author of Take to the Trees and The Measure of Manhattan, and she lives in New York.

Reviews

[Kate O'Shea · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read the blurb with some form of illusion that there would be some actual hope in this book. I know lots of research is being done into trying to find a solution to the destruction of olive tree groves all over Europe thanks to another fast moving disease. I thought that this book would be something similar for the American trees.

However what we actually get is very little hope except that there seem to be some trees resistant to the various diseases. The US has already lost the American Chestnut and it looks like hemlock, beech, ash and some oaks are set to join them.

There's very little about how much research is being done into finding solutions and there's also the argument that perhaps we need to leave ancient species to find their own solutions.

The only hope I found was that a lot of unempowered women have found joy in learning to climb trees along with a healthy dose of "aren't trees great".

It's all a bit wishy washy for me. I think I learned more from Richard Powers "Overstory".

A bit disappointing but very nicely narrated by the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and RBMedia for the audio advance review copy.

[Teri-K · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had a little trouble imaging exactly what this book would be like, and it turns out it's not really about one woman learning to climb trees, or what she learns from being around them, it's more about the sisters who run the workshop and their lives. The reader is also introduced to men and women around the globe who care about trees and study them closely. Through these people we are given fascinating looks into trees around the world, their history, development, uniqueness, and precarious futures.

I loved the interesting details about trees, including Aspen, Wollemi, Beech and Oak. Plus, the line drawings by Ellen Weiner are breathtakingly lovely. Mixed in are personal stories from the childhoods of the sisters, their experiences as female arborists, and encounters with various trees. I'm a reader who prefers to get my nonfiction straight, without many personal details mixed in, so this didn't work as well for me. But many readers will genuinely enjoy this well-written blending of biography and science.

Lovers of trees should be warned that while the overall tone of this book attempts to be positive about change, there is a lot of bad news for trees. Human encroachment and climate change are challenging them in ways they probably can't adapt to, and the future doesn't look good. I found myself wishing the author had saved the negative information for one or two specific sections instead of spreading it throughout the chapters, as it made for a fairly negative reading experience for me, though she tries to focus on the positive, and ends on a note of optimism.

However, if you're looking for a book that will entrance you with the beauty and wonder of trees and then show you specifics of why they're endangered, or if you like science nonfiction that mixes in strong personal stories, this may be perfect for you. It definitely a topic more people need to hear and understand, and this book makes an excellent introduction. So, though it's a 3 star book for me, I believe a lot of other readers will genuinely enjoy this.

Thank you to WW Norton, the author and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book for review.

[Lauren Carter · Rating 4 out of 5]

basically personal experiences of climbing trees with things she learned after reading other books...

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoy nature and environmental novels, and this one hit the mark! This novel is an homage to a vital part of our ecosystem we often take for granted. Holloway takes us on a deep dive (or rather, high climb?) into the awe-inspiring world of trees and their caretakers.

Take to the Trees follows the author, who attends a Women’s Tree Climbing Workshop, and includes personal snapshots and challenges of the author’s and arborists’ lives, interspersed with details of the inner workings and plights of different trees.

I was fascinated by how different each tree species can be, and waxed poetic to my arborist husband about things like “vapor pressure deficit” and different techniques for climbing trees. It also highlights how our trees are being irreparably affected due to climate change, with a gentle message of environmental stewardship and communal responsibility.

I finished this book with a deeper appreciation of our shared flora. This book is a must-read for nature enthusiasts, environmentalists, and anyone seeking a more profound understanding of our relationship with the natural world.

Thank you to NetGalley and W. W. Norton for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was fabulous and heart breaking. I got about 3/4th of the way before I had to stop because it made me cry every time I opened it. But then, I always was sensitive to nature's plight and had similar reactions to David Attenborough and his nature docs.

[Julia Abuzzahab · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most vividly descriptive book on the climate and trees I've read. I've always admired Holloway, probably because she was my professor and she taught me how to be descriptive in my own writing and the importance of a short, succinct, yet powerful sentence. But the journey you go on reading this novel is important and creative. I learned so much about the world, the art of tree climbing, climate change, and emotion. I laughed, cried, felt. Loved this book a million times over. I can't recommend it enough. Take to the trees!!!!!

[Christine Corrigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Take to the Trees: A Story of Hope, Science, and Self-Discovery in America's Imperiled Forests by Marguerite Holloway (Publication Date: May 13,2025) shares the story of the author's journey into the world tree climbing and learning about forests and their ecological challenges to survive. The author joined the Women's Tree Climbing Workshop as a novice. The workshop is run by two sisters who are arborists working in a largely male industry. Over the course of the several years, the author not only learns how to climb towering trees, but also tells stories about hemlocks, aspens, beech, cedar, oaks, maples and more and their challenges to survive in a changing climate, with various pests and predators. Interestingly, for all of the research and scientists examining these complex ecological questions, the author observed "no model can include all of the complexity, particularly as so much remains unknown." I appreciated that acknowledgement. This work not only shared interesting science, without reading like a textbook, but great personal stories--a great blend of nature writing and humanity. Many thanks to W.W. Norton for an advanced copy of The Garden Again Time. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Jess Conley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found the intro to be a bit daunting to read. It is important to the book, so I was glad I held out because once I got into the meat of the book, it was more clear. I was more hoping to read the book to find what the author learned/knew about trees so my expectations were a bit skewed. In the end, I was very pleased with this book.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the last couple of years, I have read multiple books about the importance of trees. I have enjoyed them and learned a lot. In March, I saw the musical, Redwood, and was gutted by it. This book was a continuation of my fascination, and it did not disappoint.

[Ryan Green · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take to the Trees certainly took me to the trees. From the roots to time spent in the canopy, I learned about bark, disease, groves, mycelium networks, why leaves fall, and what makes different trees distinct. Meeting all of these characters, trees and workshop leaders included, was a delight. The personal moments the author shared were a powerful stronghold throughout the emotional rollercoaster that was discovering just how imperiled our trees are, yet I still put the book down feeling full of hope. Mostly hope that badass women will be the ones to save the world, but also that nature will itself find a way to live beyond human-caused climate change and through wonderfully vivid legacies like this book. A must read for the nature lover.

[Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

A well-written journey detailing the dire situation our national forests are in tree by tree. No punches are pulled and despair is not dispelled but somehow the stark realism of knowing combined with the physical and mental exertion of climbing trees and building relationships open a way to belief without the distraction of naivety or negativity that if the trees can survive with our help, so can we.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take to the Trees is a deeply interesting read – I kept pausing to share the greatest new fact I learned about different species and why they’re dying. But Holloway also has a poetic way of placing you in every single forest she describes, unrooting you from your reading spot and cultivating a care for trees in the reader.

[Tommy Eye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful, warm & personal, informative, inspiring. Marguerite shares her journey into the world of trees and the arborists, foresters and scientists who love and care for them. I dogged SO many pages to go back to. Read this book!

[Naomie Barnabas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Take to the Trees is a beautifully written blend of memoir, science, and environmental hope, offering a moving tribute to the strength of trees and the women rising—literally and figuratively—to protect them.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although hope is cited in the title, I found precious little of it in this depressing but important account of the state of trees. The chapters centered on women learning to climb trees were interesting.

[Lauren Csaki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listened to the audiobook and enjoyed this part-climbing-memoir, part-tales-of-trees-in-peril. The author definitely spins a dark tale about the state of trees in our world. I could have used more points of hope, but that may be a personal preference. Overall it was well-written.

[Ziggers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone should read this book! A stunning & fascinating description of the dire consequences of climate change, invasive pests, development & bad landscape practices on the native trees & biosystems of North America...and the individuals working to save them.

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and interesting but very depressing.

[Brent · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.2