Wohlleben is a forester and manager of a beech forest in Hümmel Germany. A prolific author who advocates for the non human lifeforms including plants and animals, he has published books on the “hidden life” of trees and “inner life” of animals, which argue for sentience and describe ways that plants, animals, and more communicate or feel. Reception of his theories ranges from comparison with Suzanne Simard (the lauuded scientist and inspiration for the charater in “The Overstory”), inclusion on the New York Times bestsellers list, to being criticized by certain biologists. Wohlleben founded The Forest Academy initiative to protect forests and teach land owners to manage ecologically conscious forests.