Forests are more than just a collection of trees; they are dynamic ecosystems teeming with life and intricate relationships. By understanding the science and magic of forests, we can appreciate their value and the importance of conserving them for future generations. Step into the woods with us!

Dr. Markovchick explains how forests are the lungs of the planet, and describes the important role they play in capturing carbon, and creating oxygen. By capturing carbon, forests help maintain the delicate balance in our atmosphere to sustain life on Earth.

We also learn how the trees in a forest use complex mycorrhizal networks to help communicate with one another, and so much more. The mushrooms we see in the forest are just the fruiting bodies of these beings which help decompose the forest debris, and deliver chemicals necessary to keep trees healthy.

There are a lot of things scientists do not yet fully understand about trees and how they communicate. They seem to be able to attract necessary insects to help devour predators harming trees, and they seem to send and receive chemical signals to and from other trees. To answer the question: When a tree falls in a forest and no one is around to hear it, does it make a sound? This is an obvious YES! The huge community of living being in a forest are intrinsically linked to one another, as Dr. Markovchick explains.

You can learn a lot more about forests in our Forests Learning Guide. Press the button and your download will start. This guide meets and cites US National Education Standards, and will expand on what we explored today on the show.

This episode was written and produced by Katie Stone, with production help from Christina Stella, Sarah Gabrielli, McKenzie Graunke, and Thaniel Lentz. Live engineering at Outpost Performance Space was provided by Chad Scheer. Our learning guide was written by Amber Shiel.

The Children’s Hour is distributed by Native Voice One, The Native American Radio Network.

©2026 The Children’s Hour Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Please note: not all songs we play can be found in Spotify.