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The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the Eighth Continent in the Trees Above Us
Nicknamed the “Real-Life Lorax” by National Geographic, the biologist, botanist, and conservationist Meg Lowman—aka “CanopyMeg”—takes us on an adventure into the “eighth continent” of the world's treetops, along her journey as a tree scientist, and into climate action
Welcome to the eighth continent!
As a graduate student exploring the rain forests of Australia, Meg Lowman realized that she couldn’t monitor her beloved leaves using any of the usual methods. So she put together a climbing kit: she sewed a harness from an old seat belt, gathered hundreds of feet of rope, and found a tool belt for her pencils and rulers. Up she went, into the trees.
Forty years later, Lowman remains one of the world’s foremost arbornauts, known as the “real-life Lorax.” She planned one of the first treetop walkways and helps create more of these bridges through the eighth continent all over the world.
With a voice as infectious in its enthusiasm as it is practical in its optimism, The Arbornaut chronicles Lowman’s irresistible story. From climbing solo hundreds of feet into the air in Australia’s rainforests to measuring tree growth in the northeastern United States, from searching the redwoods of the Pacific coast for new life to studying leaf eaters in Scotland’s Highlands, from conducting a BioBlitz in Malaysia to conservation planning in India and collaborating with priests to save Ethiopia’s last forests, Lowman launches us into the life and work of a field scientist, ecologist, and conservationist. She offers hope, specific plans, and recommendations for action; despite devastation across the world, through trees, we can still make an immediate and lasting impact against climate change.
A blend of memoir and fieldwork account, The Arbornaut gives us the chance to live among scientists and travel the world—even in a hot-air balloon! It is the engrossing, uplifting story of a nerdy tree climber—the only girl at the science fair—who becomes a giant inspiration, a groundbreaking, ground-defying field biologist, and a hero for trees everywhere.
Includes black-and-white illustrations
Welcome to the eighth continent!
As a graduate student exploring the rain forests of Australia, Meg Lowman realized that she couldn’t monitor her beloved leaves using any of the usual methods. So she put together a climbing kit: she sewed a harness from an old seat belt, gathered hundreds of feet of rope, and found a tool belt for her pencils and rulers. Up she went, into the trees.
Forty years later, Lowman remains one of the world’s foremost arbornauts, known as the “real-life Lorax.” She planned one of the first treetop walkways and helps create more of these bridges through the eighth continent all over the world.
With a voice as infectious in its enthusiasm as it is practical in its optimism, The Arbornaut chronicles Lowman’s irresistible story. From climbing solo hundreds of feet into the air in Australia’s rainforests to measuring tree growth in the northeastern United States, from searching the redwoods of the Pacific coast for new life to studying leaf eaters in Scotland’s Highlands, from conducting a BioBlitz in Malaysia to conservation planning in India and collaborating with priests to save Ethiopia’s last forests, Lowman launches us into the life and work of a field scientist, ecologist, and conservationist. She offers hope, specific plans, and recommendations for action; despite devastation across the world, through trees, we can still make an immediate and lasting impact against climate change.
A blend of memoir and fieldwork account, The Arbornaut gives us the chance to live among scientists and travel the world—even in a hot-air balloon! It is the engrossing, uplifting story of a nerdy tree climber—the only girl at the science fair—who becomes a giant inspiration, a groundbreaking, ground-defying field biologist, and a hero for trees everywhere.
Includes black-and-white illustrations
350 pages, Hardcover
First published August 10, 2021
176 people are currently reading
5589 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 216 reviews
October 18, 2021
Q:
IMAGINE GOING TO THE DOCTOR for a complete checkup and, in the course of an entire visit, the only body part examined was your big toe. The visit ends with a pronouncement that you are perfectly healthy, but there was no test of your vital signs, heartbeat, vision, or any other part of you—just the big toe. You may have gone in with a broken arm or a headache from high blood pressure, but the assessment of your lowest bipedal extremity alone couldn’t clue the doctor in to the real trouble. How would you feel? At the very least, you’d probably switch doctors.
For centuries, the health of trees, even those ancient giants stretching hundreds of feet high into the clouds, was assessed in just the same way. Examining woody trunks at eye level, scientists essentially inspected the “big toes” of their patients and then made sweeping deductions about forest health without ever gazing at the bulk of the tree, known as the canopy, growing overhead. The only time foresters had the chance to evaluate a whole tree was when it was cut down—which is kind of like assessing a person’s entire medical history from a few ashes after cremation. In tropical forests especially, the lower levels are as different from the upper reaches as night and day. The ground receives as little as 1 percent of the light shining on the crowns. So the understory is dark, windless, and often humid whereas the canopy is blasted with sun, whipped by high winds, and often crispy in its dryness between rainstorms. The gloomy forest floor is inhabited by a few shade-loving creatures, while the canopy hosts a riotous variety of life—millions of species of every imaginable color, shape, and size that pollinate flowers, eat leaves, and also eat each other. (c)
Q:
I don’t remember much about those first days except that a possum peed from the rafters onto the bed where I was staying. I guess the Australian wildlife were welcoming me! (c)
IMAGINE GOING TO THE DOCTOR for a complete checkup and, in the course of an entire visit, the only body part examined was your big toe. The visit ends with a pronouncement that you are perfectly healthy, but there was no test of your vital signs, heartbeat, vision, or any other part of you—just the big toe. You may have gone in with a broken arm or a headache from high blood pressure, but the assessment of your lowest bipedal extremity alone couldn’t clue the doctor in to the real trouble. How would you feel? At the very least, you’d probably switch doctors.
For centuries, the health of trees, even those ancient giants stretching hundreds of feet high into the clouds, was assessed in just the same way. Examining woody trunks at eye level, scientists essentially inspected the “big toes” of their patients and then made sweeping deductions about forest health without ever gazing at the bulk of the tree, known as the canopy, growing overhead. The only time foresters had the chance to evaluate a whole tree was when it was cut down—which is kind of like assessing a person’s entire medical history from a few ashes after cremation. In tropical forests especially, the lower levels are as different from the upper reaches as night and day. The ground receives as little as 1 percent of the light shining on the crowns. So the understory is dark, windless, and often humid whereas the canopy is blasted with sun, whipped by high winds, and often crispy in its dryness between rainstorms. The gloomy forest floor is inhabited by a few shade-loving creatures, while the canopy hosts a riotous variety of life—millions of species of every imaginable color, shape, and size that pollinate flowers, eat leaves, and also eat each other. (c)
Q:
I don’t remember much about those first days except that a possum peed from the rafters onto the bed where I was staying. I guess the Australian wildlife were welcoming me! (c)
March 21, 2021
It takes a dense book to contain the research, impact, and living legacy of Meg Lowman. Yet in approachable and endearing style her aptly named book, "The Arbornaut", not only accomplishes that but lays out a compelling case of what each of us can (and must) do to mitigate the devastation of our planet’s richest sanctuaries of biodiversity: our old-growth forests.
While I first approached this title with the anticipation of expanding my scientific understanding of forest ecology (and I did), I was hardly prepared for such an adventure with Meg across all 7 continents and up hundreds of feet into the canopies themselves. Detailing each forest within its context of geography, environment, regional economics, and unique climate-related challenges, I soon came face to face with the flora and fauna living in the heights well above the commotion of daily life. Sometimes sounding out the various genus and species she met in these upper reaches (and admittedly, sometimes not), I soon found myself captivated by their remarkable uniqueness and then seconds later, grieving for the precariousness of their survival. While she is not shy about demonstrating her command of the subject matter—which spans far beyond the trees themselves—she offers explanation and analogy that kept me engaged and in-tune with the significance of her observations.
If this were simply a compilation of species encountered and the research her work inspired, it’d be a great read.
But overshadowing the science is the story of a budding pioneer with unstoppable curiosity, courage, and determination to study the whole tree and not just its “big toe”—its trunk—as traditionally done in decades before her. Rigging a series of ropes and pulleys into branches overhead and “after a lot of thought and some trial and error”, Lowman hoists herself into the 8th continent. It’s 1978, and the world she discovers spawns decades of new research, educational outreach, eco-tourism, and global conservation efforts. To portray any of those achievements adequately requires (at least) its own paragraph. It is truly remarkable what Lowman has accomplished in her lifetime and continues accomplishing in her sixth decade.
No impact of this significance comes without its hardship, though. As a "shy" female breaking into a male-dominated discipline, she encounters condescension, opposition, disapproval, and multiple setbacks. She shares these disappointments openly and without bitterness. In her own humble and practical way, she works around these temporary roadblocks much like she accommodates uncomfortable living and research conditions all throughout her career: she simply pushes on.
As I reflect back on the nearly 8 hours we have spent together (the time it took me to read her book), “The Arbornaut” inspired me on a number of different levels: first, by Lowman’s personal sacrifice (any mom can attest to the emotional, physical, and oftentimes financial drain of balancing professional and family life—how many juggle this on a global scale?); by the integrity and meticulousness of her research style (no wonder it yielded such great discoveries); her results (which impact individual lives and scale to school districts, communities, forests, and countries). Finally, by being true to her highest calling, she’s created awareness, interest, and urgency for conservation efforts worldwide. There’s only one Meg Lowman, and readers, she’s done her part. It’s time to do ours!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the impacts of climate change, those who teach science or seek to inspire kids in science, those who enjoy science, and those who just need a dose of inspiration of a life fully lived.
My sincerest thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for allowing this review.
While I first approached this title with the anticipation of expanding my scientific understanding of forest ecology (and I did), I was hardly prepared for such an adventure with Meg across all 7 continents and up hundreds of feet into the canopies themselves. Detailing each forest within its context of geography, environment, regional economics, and unique climate-related challenges, I soon came face to face with the flora and fauna living in the heights well above the commotion of daily life. Sometimes sounding out the various genus and species she met in these upper reaches (and admittedly, sometimes not), I soon found myself captivated by their remarkable uniqueness and then seconds later, grieving for the precariousness of their survival. While she is not shy about demonstrating her command of the subject matter—which spans far beyond the trees themselves—she offers explanation and analogy that kept me engaged and in-tune with the significance of her observations.
If this were simply a compilation of species encountered and the research her work inspired, it’d be a great read.
But overshadowing the science is the story of a budding pioneer with unstoppable curiosity, courage, and determination to study the whole tree and not just its “big toe”—its trunk—as traditionally done in decades before her. Rigging a series of ropes and pulleys into branches overhead and “after a lot of thought and some trial and error”, Lowman hoists herself into the 8th continent. It’s 1978, and the world she discovers spawns decades of new research, educational outreach, eco-tourism, and global conservation efforts. To portray any of those achievements adequately requires (at least) its own paragraph. It is truly remarkable what Lowman has accomplished in her lifetime and continues accomplishing in her sixth decade.
No impact of this significance comes without its hardship, though. As a "shy" female breaking into a male-dominated discipline, she encounters condescension, opposition, disapproval, and multiple setbacks. She shares these disappointments openly and without bitterness. In her own humble and practical way, she works around these temporary roadblocks much like she accommodates uncomfortable living and research conditions all throughout her career: she simply pushes on.
As I reflect back on the nearly 8 hours we have spent together (the time it took me to read her book), “The Arbornaut” inspired me on a number of different levels: first, by Lowman’s personal sacrifice (any mom can attest to the emotional, physical, and oftentimes financial drain of balancing professional and family life—how many juggle this on a global scale?); by the integrity and meticulousness of her research style (no wonder it yielded such great discoveries); her results (which impact individual lives and scale to school districts, communities, forests, and countries). Finally, by being true to her highest calling, she’s created awareness, interest, and urgency for conservation efforts worldwide. There’s only one Meg Lowman, and readers, she’s done her part. It’s time to do ours!
This is a must-read for anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of the impacts of climate change, those who teach science or seek to inspire kids in science, those who enjoy science, and those who just need a dose of inspiration of a life fully lived.
My sincerest thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux for allowing this review.
February 10, 2022
The world would undoubtedly be a poorer place without Meg Lowman in it. Dr Lowman became a scientist in the 1970s, and the amount of misogyny she had to battle in the lab (and at home, when she married into an Australian farming family) genuinely made me swear out loud at times. But she overcame these obstacles again and again thanks to her love for the natural world and, most of all, trees.
An “arbonaut” is someone who climbs into trees, the canopies of which are called “the eighth continent” by Lowman and others. It’s thought that millions of species live in tree canopies that are not yet known to science. I vicariously experienced the author’s joy of discovery and her fascination with this aerial world. I also loved reading about her journey from child naturalist to fully-fledged scientist, and it made me appreciate anew how lucky students are these days to have the internet at our fingertips – no trawling through heaps of dusty journals for us.
Although it’s fairly long, there was not a boring moment in this book. Lowman has been all over the world for her work, taking us from her birthplace on the eastern coast of the USA, to the Scottish Highlands, to Ethiopian “church forests”, to rainforests in Australia, Malaysia, India, and Central and South America. A fair portion of the book also recounts her work to engage the public in citizen science and to involve more underrepresented groups in science, including young people in wheelchairs, and women in more culturally-conservative countries. I read pretty much the whole book in a state of awe at what a powerhouse Lowman is – but of course, she couldn’t finish the book without delivering stark warnings about the future of the Earth if we continue to destroy the forests that help to sustain our world.
(With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance e-book in exchange for an honest review)
An “arbonaut” is someone who climbs into trees, the canopies of which are called “the eighth continent” by Lowman and others. It’s thought that millions of species live in tree canopies that are not yet known to science. I vicariously experienced the author’s joy of discovery and her fascination with this aerial world. I also loved reading about her journey from child naturalist to fully-fledged scientist, and it made me appreciate anew how lucky students are these days to have the internet at our fingertips – no trawling through heaps of dusty journals for us.
Although it’s fairly long, there was not a boring moment in this book. Lowman has been all over the world for her work, taking us from her birthplace on the eastern coast of the USA, to the Scottish Highlands, to Ethiopian “church forests”, to rainforests in Australia, Malaysia, India, and Central and South America. A fair portion of the book also recounts her work to engage the public in citizen science and to involve more underrepresented groups in science, including young people in wheelchairs, and women in more culturally-conservative countries. I read pretty much the whole book in a state of awe at what a powerhouse Lowman is – but of course, she couldn’t finish the book without delivering stark warnings about the future of the Earth if we continue to destroy the forests that help to sustain our world.
(With thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance e-book in exchange for an honest review)
March 12, 2021
Before the review, I'm a tree hugger and a member of the American Conifer Society (https://conifersociety.org) and also North American Rock Garden Society (NARGS) (https://www.nargs.org). And a female who recently retired after working over 30 years in a very male dominated field. And would have been happy to have continued going to college forever.
So ... this review may be (is!) biased. This book was perfect for me and I really enjoyed it. Would everybody like this book? Probably not. (But in my opinion, everybody should take the time to understand how biodiversity and trees impact the world around them. Or at least check out some of her webpages, www.treefoundation.org )
The version reviewed was an advance read pdf version courtesy of NetGalley and was 769 pages; GoodReads indicates that the book is 368 pages. I'm not confident that the version reviewed is the final version; I'm suspecting that there will be some editing for the final version.
The reviewed book contained quite a bit about family dynamics while married in Australia and then she brought her two young sons back to America so that she could continue with the research and work with trees and biodiversity that she is so impassioned. And then there is very little included about her sons until very late in the book. I thought it was odd that there was so much information about the boys and her life in Australia; and then once she was in America she jetted off from one country to another country to study biodiversity with little mention of her boys.
It seems that Meg's efforts have taken her to nearly every region of the globe that has trees. It is all very fascinating; and she has been constantly discovering new creatures in the upper canopies of trees. She developed a method of climbing trees using a slingshot. She has championed walkways through the upper canopies of trees so that people can understand the importance of trees in their community and the world. She has also reached out to those who have limited mobility and found a way for them to also get into the treetops. Additionally she spent extra effort to bring women into the this field. I'm really in awe of Meg Lowman and everything that she has accomplished. At the end of the book she said that her boys would call her an ArborNUT! I would agree. LOL.
The title of this book is a bit misleading. There is a great bit of detail about biodiversity in Ethiopia, the Amazon, India. I can't even count the number of countries mentioned.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) and the author (Meg Lowman) for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of The Arbornaut in exchange for an honest review.
So ... this review may be (is!) biased. This book was perfect for me and I really enjoyed it. Would everybody like this book? Probably not. (But in my opinion, everybody should take the time to understand how biodiversity and trees impact the world around them. Or at least check out some of her webpages, www.treefoundation.org )
The version reviewed was an advance read pdf version courtesy of NetGalley and was 769 pages; GoodReads indicates that the book is 368 pages. I'm not confident that the version reviewed is the final version; I'm suspecting that there will be some editing for the final version.
The reviewed book contained quite a bit about family dynamics while married in Australia and then she brought her two young sons back to America so that she could continue with the research and work with trees and biodiversity that she is so impassioned. And then there is very little included about her sons until very late in the book. I thought it was odd that there was so much information about the boys and her life in Australia; and then once she was in America she jetted off from one country to another country to study biodiversity with little mention of her boys.
It seems that Meg's efforts have taken her to nearly every region of the globe that has trees. It is all very fascinating; and she has been constantly discovering new creatures in the upper canopies of trees. She developed a method of climbing trees using a slingshot. She has championed walkways through the upper canopies of trees so that people can understand the importance of trees in their community and the world. She has also reached out to those who have limited mobility and found a way for them to also get into the treetops. Additionally she spent extra effort to bring women into the this field. I'm really in awe of Meg Lowman and everything that she has accomplished. At the end of the book she said that her boys would call her an ArborNUT! I would agree. LOL.
The title of this book is a bit misleading. There is a great bit of detail about biodiversity in Ethiopia, the Amazon, India. I can't even count the number of countries mentioned.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher (Farrar, Straus and Giroux) and the author (Meg Lowman) for the opportunity to review the advance read copy of The Arbornaut in exchange for an honest review.
January 13, 2022
I hadn't actually heard of Meg Lowman before this book - but she has certainly done some amazing things! I wouldn't necessarily count writing a book that ends up as a great read among them, but she is a scientist. It's the kind of book that's a curious mix of science and personal memoir that is so popular at the moment, and I find sort of difficult. At times, I feel patronised and want more science and not to hear about her private life. At other times, I wanted to know in greater detail what she was thinking, feeling, doing in these (sometimes) insane situations she found herself in! This is a personal preference - I find all books of this type slightly frustrating (although I seem to be reading a lot of them!)
The amount of misogyny she was subject to in the scientific world (and her family life...) would be shocking had we, unfortunately, heard it all before. People like her are the ones who are changing things, and I found that part of her character inspiring.
The style was slightly uneven, but, as I said, she's a scientist, not an author at heart. One thing that really bothered me was her advocation of eco-tourism, yet nowhere did she mention the huge damage caused by flying (which she does a lot in this book, and encourages readers to do so to see real forest). It's only a little thing but I couldn't stop thinking about it.
There were moments I glazed over a bit (sorry!) but for what it is, this is a well-accomplished book about a very interesting woman.
The amount of misogyny she was subject to in the scientific world (and her family life...) would be shocking had we, unfortunately, heard it all before. People like her are the ones who are changing things, and I found that part of her character inspiring.
The style was slightly uneven, but, as I said, she's a scientist, not an author at heart. One thing that really bothered me was her advocation of eco-tourism, yet nowhere did she mention the huge damage caused by flying (which she does a lot in this book, and encourages readers to do so to see real forest). It's only a little thing but I couldn't stop thinking about it.
There were moments I glazed over a bit (sorry!) but for what it is, this is a well-accomplished book about a very interesting woman.
May 27, 2022
There’s no doubt Meg Lowman is an incredible woman and it’s no wonder she has so many friends that she mentions throughout the book since she seems like she has an infectious personality. Hearing her passion for conservation and supporting women in STEM is wonderfully inspiring. But damn, someone needed to be cruel to be kind and drastically edit this memoir, because it’s significantly longer than it needs to be, with lots of repetitive details and over-explaining ideas that were obvious the first time.
February 21, 2022
certainly an accomplished woman scientist in a really cool field (trees! yay! love the cover art) but writing, tho sometimes endearing, was oft tedious / repetitive particularly around how she wasn’t like the other girls … she was a tree girl LOL, glazed over a fair bit. OK for a book to read before bed but would personally would rather watch a documentary on the subject i think
June 4, 2022
Lowman is a fascinating person. She's pioneered an entire new way of studying ecosystems by accessing the tree canopy, where so much goes on while we remain, oblivious, on the ground.
Most of her life she's had to fight against sexist biases and work with groups in which she was the only woman (I'm not sure I would have gone to the middle of the jungle with 49 men), and had to work with bosses who were pathetically intimidated by having a woman in charge, so she was forced out of not one, but two teaching institutions. Even though she's been repeatedly molested throughout her studies and her professional career, somehow she's persevered in her study of biomes and her conservations efforts, which include not only conservation in situ, but teaching programs that involve young children and adults. Most notably, she put forward a program to involve wheelchair users in tree climbing, which is objectively delightful.
I am, however, more than skeptical about her push for ecotourism as a good way to protect endangered ecosystems. While it's definitely better than logging, a constant stream of people, walking, damaging plants, littering and producing additional waste is not, and has never been, a good way to protect threatened environments. Perhaps it would be a better idea to educate Western children locally, in their own parks and forests, and free people living in protected ecosystems from having to earn money to live in a capitalist system. Maybe Western countries shouldn't be able to blackmail them into selling them forests for logging in exchange for a school. Why is that even allowed to happen.
Most of her life she's had to fight against sexist biases and work with groups in which she was the only woman (I'm not sure I would have gone to the middle of the jungle with 49 men), and had to work with bosses who were pathetically intimidated by having a woman in charge, so she was forced out of not one, but two teaching institutions. Even though she's been repeatedly molested throughout her studies and her professional career, somehow she's persevered in her study of biomes and her conservations efforts, which include not only conservation in situ, but teaching programs that involve young children and adults. Most notably, she put forward a program to involve wheelchair users in tree climbing, which is objectively delightful.
I am, however, more than skeptical about her push for ecotourism as a good way to protect endangered ecosystems. While it's definitely better than logging, a constant stream of people, walking, damaging plants, littering and producing additional waste is not, and has never been, a good way to protect threatened environments. Perhaps it would be a better idea to educate Western children locally, in their own parks and forests, and free people living in protected ecosystems from having to earn money to live in a capitalist system. Maybe Western countries shouldn't be able to blackmail them into selling them forests for logging in exchange for a school. Why is that even allowed to happen.
September 17, 2023
TBH I only read about half of it.
Meg Lowman, AKA Canopy Meg, is an admirable woman and scientist and crusader for saving the forests of the world. We are very lucky that she's around, having had to put up with the usual misogyny of last century to emerge as a significant player in the climate change fight.
She is not, though, a gifted writer. It's not that it's painful, it's just that it's not that interesting - or at least I was never pulled in. After the first 100 pages, it felt more an more like a chore, and I'm too old for that. But I am glad to have been introduced to her, her work, and the canopy walkways around the world.
Meg Lowman, AKA Canopy Meg, is an admirable woman and scientist and crusader for saving the forests of the world. We are very lucky that she's around, having had to put up with the usual misogyny of last century to emerge as a significant player in the climate change fight.
She is not, though, a gifted writer. It's not that it's painful, it's just that it's not that interesting - or at least I was never pulled in. After the first 100 pages, it felt more an more like a chore, and I'm too old for that. But I am glad to have been introduced to her, her work, and the canopy walkways around the world.
January 2, 2022
We've been blessed with several amazing books about forests, the wood-wide-web, and now the Eighth Continent which is the tree canopies of the world's forests, full of life and wonders! Truly mind and heart openers.
March 13, 2022
dang, Meg Lowman is such a bad-ass impactful scientist! I was in total wonderment about all of her innovations and her persistence in the face of rampant misogyny and harassments in the field of science.
I did enjoy her explanation of her research projects although by the end of the book I was skimming a bit as I felt she got a little to far into the weeds so to speak
I did enjoy her explanation of her research projects although by the end of the book I was skimming a bit as I felt she got a little to far into the weeds so to speak
January 3, 2022
3.5/5. This is a detailled dive into the life of the "Real-Life Lorax," Meg Lowman- a tree scientist and conservationist who revolutionized ecological research, particularly through the study of tree canopies. This nature memoir provides an inside look into what inspired Meg from an early age and how she translated her love of trees into a lifelong and impactful scientific career working in treetops and travelling the world.
As someone who is also passionate about nature and environmental research, I enjoyed hearing about Meg's background and life's work. It was a very interesting and inspiring tale. The main setback for me was that I often found the writing so detailled that it significantly slowed down the book for me, and so it wasn't as gripping as I would've liked.
Overall, this is a thorough read into the life of an amazing field biologist and her groundbreaking work in the treetops.
Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
As someone who is also passionate about nature and environmental research, I enjoyed hearing about Meg's background and life's work. It was a very interesting and inspiring tale. The main setback for me was that I often found the writing so detailled that it significantly slowed down the book for me, and so it wasn't as gripping as I would've liked.
Overall, this is a thorough read into the life of an amazing field biologist and her groundbreaking work in the treetops.
Thanks to Farrar, Straus and Giroux and NetGalley for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
November 21, 2021
It is a dense repetitive book. Often chapters included a lot of the same content as if each had been written independently. Do I think Lowman has done critical work? Yes! But this was a tedious read.
May 8, 2024
I’m a fan of books about trees, so this was an obvious choice. :-) The sheer gumption and determination of this woman are inspiring, as are the many creative ways she came up with to engage others with the trees and the planet.
A nice complement to “Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Simard.
A nice complement to “Finding the Mother Tree” by Suzanne Simard.
December 10, 2022
Fantastic book, Meg has done an amazing job at making her work understandable and engaging for any audience. Love all the messages about supporting other women and general inclusivity. What an inspirational person—I can’t wait to visit some of those treetop walkways! Recommend this book to everyone but particularly nature lovers and women in science!
August 1, 2023
I loved this book!! Super interesting and easy for everyone to understand the science. I’d love to meet the author someday. She appears to be an exceptionally thoughtful and intelligent person. I love the work she did in making her projects inclusive and accessible for wheelchair scientists. Awesome plant nerd read!!
May 30, 2021
The Arbor bait by Meg Lowman is a present waiting to be read. It is a delightful book for anyone who loves trees, nature, or has environmental concerns. Ms. Lowman presents data in a very readable manner, and reading this made me look at our world in a different way. Hands down , it's one of the best scientific books I've read in some time, and made me miss the little I used to be when I would climb trees to see what's up there. Read it, you will.enjoy it.
did-not-finish
November 7, 2021After trying the first chapter two different times, several months apart, I've determined that, unfortunately, I don't think this is the book for me. Gorgeous cover and definitely if you are interested in conservation/ecology/biology but haven't done much work in the field, you may find this more engaging! Many thanks to FSG for providing me with an early copy of this work through Netgalley, as well.
December 30, 2025
While browsing through a site which recommends books by various interests, I happened across The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the Eighth Continent in the Trees Above Us in the same list as Richard Powers' The Overstory. I, of course had to check it out because The Overstory was right up my alley.
It said she was a "tree scientist" who became interested in tree canopies and designed and built one of the first canopy walkways. I really wanted to find out about that.
But her book which is part memoir, began by letting the reader know that she was from the small upstate town of Elmira, New York...uh, that is my hometown. As I read I realized that we went to the same high school as I did and graduated 2 years after me.
That being said, Meg Lowman's book is part memoir, part about the science of trees and part about the importance of trees and what she is doing and what we can do if we are concerned.
Her life story is quite fascinating and not just because she is from my hometown. She also talks about difficulties of being a woman working in a scientific field which is dominated by men.
This book may seem too heavy on science for some but as anything to do with nature and environment piques my interest, I found it fascinating.
It said she was a "tree scientist" who became interested in tree canopies and designed and built one of the first canopy walkways. I really wanted to find out about that.
But her book which is part memoir, began by letting the reader know that she was from the small upstate town of Elmira, New York...uh, that is my hometown. As I read I realized that we went to the same high school as I did and graduated 2 years after me.
That being said, Meg Lowman's book is part memoir, part about the science of trees and part about the importance of trees and what she is doing and what we can do if we are concerned.
Her life story is quite fascinating and not just because she is from my hometown. She also talks about difficulties of being a woman working in a scientific field which is dominated by men.
This book may seem too heavy on science for some but as anything to do with nature and environment piques my interest, I found it fascinating.
February 17, 2022
Canopy Meg, as the author has become to be known, focused her university attention not only the leaves of tall trees but the insects that fed on those leaves. When working with trees that extend hundreds of feet into the air in order to get the vital sunlight, she quickly learned to use caving equipment and a slingshot in order to climb into the canopies. To see the insects - thousands of varieties - going about their life spans without humans ever knowing they even existed. Ants and beetles and even the birds, reptiles and mammals that fed on the insects. An entire new world existed "up there" and Lowman was determined to not only save it but show how vital a resource it was.
Renowned for the canopy walks she and her associates have managed to get built - in order to provide a tourist attraction for countries across the world which serves as an incentive to keep and maintain the forest lands instead of cutting these massive trees in order to get a couple of years of croups out of the - basically - poor soil. She discusses some of the local collaborators in construction of the walks in India, the Amazon, Malaysia, Australia, Ethiopia and the Pacific Northwest. How her organization continues to train people to get up into the canopy of trees.
Of course, she had her own problems with a 'glass canopy' - her own version of the glass ceiling - when over several employment opportunities, she would take a position with a respected scientist who would then retire and get replaced by an insecure egotist who would cut her funding, her duties until her only option was to continue to be degraded or to walk away. Repeat.
One of the most clarifying description she used was the "Big Toe". Scientists for decades have looked at a tree from the ground level and stated - with some confidence - that the tree was in good health or not. The way Lowman described it as going to the doctor and have him (or her) examine your big toe to determine your own health - you're fine - even as a cut on the head is oozing blood and your arm is broken.
Maybe it's more of a case of looking at the tree's 'ankle' to determine it's health since current science has determined that fungi in the soil and plant roots (specifically trees) have developed a sympathetic relationship.
Interesting look from the viewpoint of an interesting person.
2022-027
Renowned for the canopy walks she and her associates have managed to get built - in order to provide a tourist attraction for countries across the world which serves as an incentive to keep and maintain the forest lands instead of cutting these massive trees in order to get a couple of years of croups out of the - basically - poor soil. She discusses some of the local collaborators in construction of the walks in India, the Amazon, Malaysia, Australia, Ethiopia and the Pacific Northwest. How her organization continues to train people to get up into the canopy of trees.
Of course, she had her own problems with a 'glass canopy' - her own version of the glass ceiling - when over several employment opportunities, she would take a position with a respected scientist who would then retire and get replaced by an insecure egotist who would cut her funding, her duties until her only option was to continue to be degraded or to walk away. Repeat.
One of the most clarifying description she used was the "Big Toe". Scientists for decades have looked at a tree from the ground level and stated - with some confidence - that the tree was in good health or not. The way Lowman described it as going to the doctor and have him (or her) examine your big toe to determine your own health - you're fine - even as a cut on the head is oozing blood and your arm is broken.
Maybe it's more of a case of looking at the tree's 'ankle' to determine it's health since current science has determined that fungi in the soil and plant roots (specifically trees) have developed a sympathetic relationship.
Interesting look from the viewpoint of an interesting person.
2022-027
March 2, 2022
I picked up this memoir to read about trees and got two books in one: this amazing story is both about the extraordinary “eighth continent” in the tree canopies of the world and the experiences of a woman trying to make it in the male-dominated world of science academia and museums.
Meg Lowman has been called “Canopy Meg” by school children and “the real life Lorax” by The National Geographic.
I wrote notes on the back pages of this book that Meg’s unique qualities are:
Collaboration across the sciences
A deep sense of personal purpose
Ability to focus
Willingness to champion the under-resourced
Deep respect for local and indigenous forest stewards
Desire to make science inclusive not rarified
A passion for public science communication
Focus on action as well as publication
I saw this in a bookshop in Margaret River last year and didn’t buy it, feeling regret afterwards. So this summer I went back to the same shop and bought it. And I’m so glad I did.
For anyone who is interested in trees and DEI in the sciences.
Meg Lowman has been called “Canopy Meg” by school children and “the real life Lorax” by The National Geographic.
I wrote notes on the back pages of this book that Meg’s unique qualities are:
Collaboration across the sciences
A deep sense of personal purpose
Ability to focus
Willingness to champion the under-resourced
Deep respect for local and indigenous forest stewards
Desire to make science inclusive not rarified
A passion for public science communication
Focus on action as well as publication
I saw this in a bookshop in Margaret River last year and didn’t buy it, feeling regret afterwards. So this summer I went back to the same shop and bought it. And I’m so glad I did.
For anyone who is interested in trees and DEI in the sciences.
December 6, 2023
One of the best books I’ve read in a while!
Meg Lowman is a truly inspirational individual in her tireless fight to protect the biodiversity of the canopies. This book records tales of her scientific expeditions all over the world and the rich ecosystems that reside in the treetops, as well as her own life story of a woman in science struggling to survive institutional sexism.
Meg Lowman is a truly inspirational individual in her tireless fight to protect the biodiversity of the canopies. This book records tales of her scientific expeditions all over the world and the rich ecosystems that reside in the treetops, as well as her own life story of a woman in science struggling to survive institutional sexism.
Read
June 16, 2024Down for now: will pick up again another day
February 7, 2022
Fascinating record of a life spent in the canopy of trees around the world. Meg Lowman is doing incredible work to help catalog the biodiversity present in trees and educate people around the world about the value of leaving trees where they are. I especially liked the chapter about how she and another ecologists worked with Ethiopian priests to save the church forests of Ethiopia. Religion and science working together!
January 11, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and FSG for the ebook. For over forty years the author has been a foremost authority on the ‘eighth continent’. This is the study the treetops of the great forests of the world. Spanning from America, to Australia, through Africa and India, the Amazon and the Pacific Northwest. The author is a perfect guide as she takes us through her life as a student, a teacher, working in museums and so much more. Not only is she a leader in her field, but is also a divorced mother with two boys and constantly fights for more inclusivity in the sciences.
March 2, 2023
This book is tricky to review. The sections where Meg recounts her childhood, education, career changes, feminism, and travels had me captivated. Easily five stars. The sections where she dove into research specifics got pretty dry at times, more like 2-3 stars. No doubt it’s all entwined in her brain as the author, but even as an environmental professional I found myself out of my depth or simply lacking interest in the details of her individual studies/data collections. She is an inspiration to women and scientists around the world and has broken barriers for many to follow in her footsteps. I think this book could have simply been shorter to convey that message. A little less data, a little more narrative.
I will say, the first two chapters practically had me in tears because it felt like I was hearing a kindred spirit talk to me about how their story was just like mine. This incredible person who loved nature and science and pursued her passions even though it was unusual and, at times, at the expense of her mental/emotional fortitude and personal safety. I hope we see more smart, strong women help bring other women up in science and their careers. I also hope we see more scientists collaborate with international peers like this to protect, preserve, study, and share natural spaces.
I will say, the first two chapters practically had me in tears because it felt like I was hearing a kindred spirit talk to me about how their story was just like mine. This incredible person who loved nature and science and pursued her passions even though it was unusual and, at times, at the expense of her mental/emotional fortitude and personal safety. I hope we see more smart, strong women help bring other women up in science and their careers. I also hope we see more scientists collaborate with international peers like this to protect, preserve, study, and share natural spaces.
March 19, 2021
I loved so much about this book. The author takes us into the fascinating world of field biology, teaching us about the flora and fauna she studied as well as the sexism she encountered in her rise through the field.
I enjoyed reading about the plants and animals that the author studied around the world. I never knew the extent to which field biologists go—foregoing comforts such as indoor plumbing and hot food—to complete their research. The book moved through the numerous countries where the author researched plants and wildlife. She also explores international conservation partnerships.
Throughout the book the author weaves in her experiences of sexism in biology. She illustrates how the tall poppy gets cut first—a bias that encourages women to hold back instead of excel due to unsupportive professional environments.
One area where I wish the author had given us more was her effort to elevate women of color in science in the US. She talked about efforts to elevate women overall, but women of color face special barriers that need to be addressed.
Still, I could not put this fascinating book down and highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I enjoyed reading about the plants and animals that the author studied around the world. I never knew the extent to which field biologists go—foregoing comforts such as indoor plumbing and hot food—to complete their research. The book moved through the numerous countries where the author researched plants and wildlife. She also explores international conservation partnerships.
Throughout the book the author weaves in her experiences of sexism in biology. She illustrates how the tall poppy gets cut first—a bias that encourages women to hold back instead of excel due to unsupportive professional environments.
One area where I wish the author had given us more was her effort to elevate women of color in science in the US. She talked about efforts to elevate women overall, but women of color face special barriers that need to be addressed.
Still, I could not put this fascinating book down and highly recommend it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2021
Meg Lowman manages to be both incredibly technical and folksy at the same time as she embraces and shares her love for trees in The Arbornaut. There were points where I admittedly started glazing over a little bit when she was describing minutiae and latin names for trees, animals and insects but her passion made me interested in what she had to say that wasn't quite as technical. Even if trees aren't your passion, her story can remind you of your own passion as well as make you want to get outside and away from your electronics. Lowman doesn't just write about trees in the book though, she also addresses how they can connect a community, and the last few chapters are particularly strong in this regard - how canopy walks are generating ecotourism in Peru, how tree stands in Ethiopia foster community pride and how to make the treetops accessible to people with mobility issues. Without getting overly preachy she also addresses how difficult it can be to be a women in a STEM field, and how it harmed her career advancement in places. Even if Lowman isn't the most assertive, outgoing person (in her own words) it was nice to see that even when people didn't want to see her succeed she found ways to continue living her passion and inspiring a love for it in others as well.
September 9, 2021
Did not finish. Read a little more than one-third of it, but found it to be way too involved. She has a good writing style, but it was simply “too much information”. That Sid, I certainly admire her strong work ethic, and how well she investigates things in “the upper canopy”. (An arbornaut is someone who explores treetops, often putting her over one hundred feet above ground level.)
December 17, 2021
Part memoir, part homage to trees, part botany lesson, part call to attention about the ravages of climate change and part advocacy forconservation efforts.
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