Literature & Nature Reading Group discussion

As I’ve been re-reading The Overstory for the August meeting of the book group, I can’t help but pay more attention to trees. In fact, I’m doing as much of the reading outside either under the branches of a maple in the yard, or other outdoor spots with nearby oaks, pines, birches, etc in view.
There is a lot of symbolism for us in trees, and I think Powers makes the most of them in his novel. Connecting characters’ stories to different species is a simple but brilliant way to get into their natural histories. One learns quite a bit about trees in this book!
This book feels like a departure from the previous ones on our list so far, which makes sense given that it’s the first work of fiction we’ve read, but my overarching questions are still the same: How does reading about nature enhance our direct experience of it? And why do we seem to learn more about ourselves through the contemplation of the happenings of natural world, as in this case with the lives and deaths of trees?