Why Trees Contain Multitudes

“The quiet cousin, the rowdy daughter, the bookish aunt, the brash sister. Some are short and busy; others tall, quiet and stately,” writes environmental historian Daniel Lewis. He’s not talking about family members, though. He’s describing trees. In his new book “Twelve Trees,” Lewis urges us to look at trees with empathy and to understand them as beings with history and purpose. We’ll talk to Lewis about the trees he profiles -- including California's coastal redwoods and olive trees -- and why our survival is so closely linked to theirs.

Guest:

Daniel Lewis, Dibner senior curator for the history of science and technology, Huntington Library; faculty, Caltech; author, "Twelve Trees: The Deep Roots of Our Future"