Human and Nature Collection -- The Canopy World: An Eyewitness Account of the Tropical Canopy

Author: Darnel Kleine-Maier
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-06-01
Features: In the coming months, I dare say, if you don’t know what the "canopy world" is, whether you’re part of the "Bo-bo" tribe or a "petite bourgeoisie," you’d better brace yourself for being left behind. In tropical forest regions around the world, whether it’s Sumatra, the Congo, or the Amazon basin in Peru, all pristine, undeveloped primary forests share similar characteristics: as you wander beneath the canopy, the branches and leaves form a dense roof, casting thick shadows that block the sunlight, leaving low shrubs in the shade with extremely low photosynthetic activity. The air is filled with the musty smell of decaying soil. Often, you see nothing, and your heart is filled with the extreme fear of darkness and venomous snakes and beasts from the days of Rudyard Kipling. But at 40 to 50 meters high in the tree canopy, the situation changes dramatically. The sky is a brilliant blue, and equatorial warm winds carry drifting clouds. The giant trees are interconnected by their canopies, stretching out like a rolling green ocean. "The moist air blends with fresh fragrances, and marvelous halos dance alongside the songs of birds." Yes, like many awe-inspiring things, the exploration of the canopy world by scientists stems from a wonderful idea: humans have long been navigating the seas on ships, a domain that expanded infinitely since the age of Columbus. Today, this area of navigation has been extended vertically, like cars on land and spacecraft in the sky. Let your imagination be even more daring, and miracles might just happen. Imagine if people could row boats on the canopy—what a scene that would be! For us Chinese, the most vivid and immediate impression of "reaching the peak of the waves" is undoubtedly the scene in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, where the upside-down bamboo grove flips the world upside down. The slender bamboos are so dense that they seem to melt into one another. For ordinary mortals like you and me, even thinking about climbing them is a luxury. But for ancient martial arts heroes like Li Mubai and Yu Jiaolong, who were skilled in acrobatics, it was a different story. They could leap high and low, stand on the tips of bamboo shoots, strike elegant poses in flowing robes with effortless swordplay, and their sharp gazes could kill. This is a typical Eastern mindset—it doesn’t require any external support, like a boat that can navigate the canopy. It relies solely on inner strength, emphasizing "intention leads the way." When they say, "up we go," it’s as if they ascend in a flash, leaving behind a thrilling sense of exhilaration. Yet, no martial arts master has stepped forward to compete in the Olympics for China’s "higher, faster, stronger," much less win a gold medal. So, all these swordplay and martial arts scenes can only live in literature, serving as a spiritual spa for readers.
If Westerners do the same thing—climbing trees—they have the best example in the book The Canopy World: A Personal Journey Through the Tropical Tree Tops. Three French scientists were involved: one to initiate the project (planning and conceptualizing the canopy exploration); one to invent the canopy raft (a truly marvelous device, essentially a boat that can navigate the canopy—how marvelous is it? The book includes detailed illustrations and high-resolution, vibrant images, so I don’t need to say more here); another to provide essential material support for the canopy research; and a naturally calm and composed airship pilot, offering technical support. With just these three people, the task of climbing the trees was accomplished. Everything was done in an orderly manner. Despite the piles of ropes and canvas that might look messy, these people actually made it to the canopy. It was very realistic—they could stay there for ten to twenty hours without needing to come down even to set up a tent for rest. Here, I won’t delve into the old topic of how the West relies on scientific experiments while the East leans toward transcendental meditation. To make a joke, during China’s Cultural Revolution, the "three-in-one" writing groups for model operas produced some excellent works. It seems that whether in the East or the West, once "three" comes together, it forms a super-stable team.
As for what the three scientists were doing in the canopy, it wasn’t to strike poses or kill with their eyes—no, these dedicated environmentalists wouldn’t even step on an insect (although current research has proven that the equatorial canopy layer is the largest gathering place for flora and fauna in the world, far surpassing any ocean or land). They went to great lengths to collect samples from the canopy, conducting numerous experiments to prove that the content and variety of secondary active metabolites in the canopy of any tree are 4.4 times higher than those in seedlings of the same species. These metabolites can be used to repel insects, make medicine, produce interferon, and create sunscreen—truly versatile. Tropical forests also contain countless other rare substances. With the canopy raft (with an area equivalent to a 600-square-meter tennis court and a weight equal to all the birds that rest in a 600-square-meter forest), no fewer than 30 leading figures from cutting-edge disciplines have now entered the canopy world, leading to scenes of busy researchers—entomologists observing ants, spice experts collecting fragrances, botanists drawing real-life illustrations, and more.
The main author of this book, Francis Ale, the leader of the aforementioned three French scientists, has provided us with another rare popular science read. It’s not the first time France has produced scientists with literary talent, and it can even be traced back to Fabre, leaving one to marvel at how an emphasis on humanistic spirit can bring a nation such a uniquely meaningful quality of life!
When it comes to his work, Francis has a relatively easy-to-understand explanation. He compares the forest to a dining table set with crystal utensils, fine wine, fresh flowers, and abundant delicacies. Suddenly, a rough person arrives, doesn’t care about anything, grabs a chainsaw, and cuts off four legs of the table. In an instant, all the joy collapses. He uses this metaphor to remind local governments and forest developers who recklessly clear-cut forests for timber: the value of the canopy layer far exceeds the timber itself. For preventing the ecological disasters caused by indiscriminate logging, such a warning is indeed a positive and guiding stance. The significance of his work lies in this.
Given China’s context, I’d like to offer another analogy. In the past, poor girls would shave off their long hair to sell it to support their families, even though it fetched only a few pennies. They had no other choice. But now, girls can support their families without cutting their hair—long hair is great! They can model for shampoo ads, be fashion models, act in movies—what’s not possible? The value of long hair has become inseparable from a girl’s overall image, and its appreciation has multiplied many times over. Similarly, clearing forests for farmland and giving the Earth a "" (a metaphorical haircut) is a shortsighted act born of material and spiritual poverty, benefiting nothing but harm.
The day I received this book, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and finished it overnight. I felt that its original creation and publication in China were the result of the relentless efforts of a group of poetic and passionate people. Mr. Liu Shuoliang, the editor-in-chief of this "Library of Humanity and Nature," is already in his seventies. His rigorous professionalism and almost maniacal work efficiency always leave me in awe. Last year, the book My Friend the Wildlife that sparked a reading frenzy was one he personally curated for this series.
To love such a book doesn’t mean everyone has to climb to the canopy and become monkeys. If you’ve ever seen the surging waves at sea or smelled the fragrance that rises only when wheat waves in the wind, you’ll understand the feelings I’m trying to convey right now. If the forest is the Earth’s most beautiful hair, then find a quiet night to enjoy reading, immersing yourself in the joy brought by the cutting-edge research of scientists. As your warm gaze follows the airships and rafts across the Earth’s "hair," who knows—what a moving moment that would be!
The Library of Humanity and Nature takes you into a precious treasure trove high above. Three-quarters of the world’s insect species live in the canopy, which also holds a rich variety of plants and vast amounts of medicinal, chemical, and aromatic raw materials, making it an incredibly valuable and abundant treasure. But because it’s high up and rarely visited, people know very little about it. Over the past two decades, several French scientists have drifted through the canopies of primary tropical forests in airships or hot air balloons, suspended by specially designed rafts. With the canopy raft, scientists from various disciplines—botanists, entomologists, chemists—have been able to move freely in the 40-to-50-meter-high tropical canopies of the Congo, Madagascar, Guyana, and other countries, collecting numerous specimens, samples, and data. Through analysis and research, they have revealed a series of secrets about the canopy space that were previously unknown. In the field of medicine and chemistry alone, they have made breakthroughs in studying tropical diseases and extracted rare fragrances from a rare flower. Their explorations have become a globally celebrated scientific event.
Reading this book and following the author as they "paddle" in the canopy and "surf" among the treetops will give you many new insights and fascinating knowledge.