The Arbornaut: A Life Discovering the Eighth Continent in the Trees Above Us

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Welcome to the eighth continent! As a graduate student in Australia, Meg Lowman realized traditional methods couldn't help her monitor the rain forest's leaves. She created a climbing kit, sewing a harness from an old seat belt and gathering rope and a tool belt for her supplies. Thus began her ascent into the trees. Now, four decades later, Lowman is a leading arbornaut, often referred to as the "real-life Lorax." She has designed one of the first treetop walkways and continues to develop these structures globally. With infectious enthusiasm and practical optimism, Lowman shares her journey. From climbing hundreds of feet into Australia’s rain forests to measuring tree growth in the northeastern U.S., searching for new life in Pacific redwoods, studying leaf eaters in Scotland, conducting a BioBlitz in Malaysia, to conservation efforts in India and collaborating with priests to protect Ethiopia's forests, Lowman immerses us in the life of a field scientist, ecologist, and conservationist. She provides hope and actionable plans, emphasizing that through trees, we can still combat climate change and make a lasting impact despite global devastation.