"Reuniting with our primal roots for the preservation of the natural world"
Harnessing the Power of Instincts: An Interview with Peter Wohlleben
In the heart of the 70s, Peter Wohlleben, soon-to-be forest engineer and essayist, devoured every scrap of information he could find about cetaceans, particularly humpback whales. These "gentle behemoths on the brink of extinction" were just beginning to capture the public's sympathy, and Wohlleben was right there with them. Fast-forward to 1986, and most states nixed commercial whaling—all thanks to a strong wave of empathy.
Emotions, it seems, remain the driving force behind Wohlleben's work. His latest essay, "Our Wild Heritage," published in 2025, takes center stage, following his successful publication of "The Secret Life of Trees" in 2015. As opposed to trees, this time humans stand front and center, with a question on everyone's mind: How can our deeper nature, our instincts, help us better nurture the planet rather than destroy it?
"Appealing to the heart makes all the difference," says the towering man who recently received the Planet Literature Award at the Metropolis Bleu Festival. "Our emotions guide our instincts, and you've gotta hit the right emotions to change people's minds."
But aren't facts and logic enough to sway the public into action? Ah, but that's where Wohlleben disagrees. "Stats and figures won't do it. Poor cows!" he laments, referring to the detrimental impact of cattle farming. "We must reconnect with our 'animal' selves to truly make a difference."
This reconnection won't come easy, as instincts pull us in two directions: either towards cherishing nature or overconsumption. Nevertheless, Wohlleben remains undeterred—he believes in the power of emotional levers, as demonstrated by examples like the providential tree-lined roads of Paris and energy-efficient Hollanders.
Naysayers might argue that Wohlleben's methods are akin to cheating, but he dismisses this notion. "Appealing to people's emotions isn't a plot twist. It's natural to act out of instinct. Ninety-nine percent of the time, we are instinct-driven."
Wohlleben's controversial stance hasn't gone unchallenged. Some scientists, like Quebec forestry professor Christian Messier, have debunked his anthropomorphic theories in the past. Yet Wohlleben stands firm, contending that his work simply puts a fresh, more humble twist on humanity's place in the grand scheme of things.
"I elevate trees and bring humans down a notch," he explains, intent on reminding us that we're just another species, albeit one with the remarkable ability to reimagine its environment to align it with its instincts—well, at least that's the hope. Still, Wohlleben is by no means optimistic. "We're stubborn creatures. We're going in the wrong direction, but maybe, just maybe, if we start listening to our instincts, we can turn things around."
So, what's next on his agenda? Politics, it seems. Wohlleben suggests a bold remedy: a parliamentary chamber randomly drawn from the public, free from the machinations of moneyed interests. A primeval touch for a very modern problem. Perhaps the next step towards renaturalizing democracy? Let's wait and see.
- Peter Wohlleben, as a forester and essayist, delved into whaling concepts in the 1970s, expressing an affinity for humpback whales, which were then on the brink of extinction.
- In 2025, Wohlleben published "Our Wild Heritage," extending his exploration of instincts to humans and the environment.
- Wohlleben advocates for emotional appeal in environmental-science discourse, emphasizing its potential to foster sustainable-living practices.
- He criticizes the conventional reliance on facts and logic, arguing that these alone are insufficient to inspire meaningful change in climate-change mitigation.
- Wohlleben's writings have received recognition in the education-and-self-development field, such as the Planet Literature Award at the Metropolis Bleu Festival.
- In homesteading and lifestyle books, one might find examples of positive environmental impact, like energy-efficient homes and tree-lined streets, which Wohlleben cites as instances of emotional levers at work.
- Critics call Wohlleben's approach unorthodox, likening it to propaganda or cheating, but he insists it is simply a way to appeal to our instinctive nature in addressing environmental concerns.
- Wohlleben proposes a radical solution to climate-change inaction: a randomly selected parliamentary chamber to represent the public, impervious to political and financial influence, as a step towards a more eco-conscious democracy.
