Human and Nature Collection - Canopy World

Author: Daniele Kleynheyer-Francis Aleger-Eberthor
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" culture or the "bourgeoisie," you’d better brace yourself for being left behind. In tropical forest regions around the world—whether Sumatra, the Congo, or the Amazon basin in Peru—all pristine, undisturbed primary forests share similar characteristics: as you wander beneath the canopy, the branches and leaves form a dense roof, casting deep shadows, with low shrubs failing to reach the sunlight, resulting in extremely low photosynthetic activity. The air is thick with the musty smell of decaying soil. Often, you see nothing, and your heart is filled with the intense fear of darkness and venomous snakes and beasts reminiscent of the days of Rudyard Kipling. But at the 40- to 50-meter-high canopy level, everything changes dramatically. The sky is a brilliant blue, with equatorial warm winds carrying wisps of clouds. The giant trees are interconnected by their canopies, stretching out like a rolling green ocean. "The moist air blends with the fresh fragrance, and the marvelous halos coexist with the songs of birds." Yes, just like many awe-inspiring things, the scientists’ exploration of the canopy world stems from a wonderful idea: humans have long been navigating the seas, a realm that has expanded infinitely since the age of Columbus. Today, this area of exploration has been extended vertically, with cars on land and spacecraft in the sky. So let your imagination soar a bit further—miracles might just happen. Imagine if people could navigate the canopies—what would that look like? For the Chinese, the most vivid and relatable image of reaching the treetop is undoubtedly the scene in the film Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, where the inverted bamboo grove scene captivates the audience. The slender bamboos are so dense that they seem to melt into one another. For ordinary mortals like us, even thinking about climbing them is a luxury. But for ancient martial arts heroes with extraordinary agility, like Li Mubai and the Jade Dragon, it’s a different story. They can leap high and low, stand on the tips of bamboo shoots, strike elegant poses in flowing robes with effortless grace, and their killing intent in their eyes is enough to strike fear. This is a typical Eastern mindset—no external support is needed, like a boat for navigating the canopies, relying solely on inner strength cultivation, emphasizing "intention leads the way." When they say, "up you go," it’s as if they ascend in an instant, bringing a sense of exhilaration. Yet, no martial arts master has stepped forward to compete in the Olympics for China’s "higher, faster, stronger" slogan, winning gold medals. So, all this swordplay and martial arts fantasy can only exist in literature, serving as a spiritual spa for readers. For Westerners, the same act of climbing trees is exemplified in the book The Canopy World—A Personal Journey Through the Tropical Rainforest. 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 contraption, essentially a boat for navigating the canopies—how marvelous is it? The book includes detailed illustrations and high-resolution, vibrant images, so I don’t need to elaborate further); one to provide essential material conditions for canopy research; and another, 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 meticulously planned. Despite the piles of ropes and canvas that might seem messy, these people actually made it to the canopy, and they could stay there for hours or even days without needing to come down for shelter. Here, I won’t delve into the old topic of Western reliance on scientific experimentation versus Eastern inclination 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, when "three" elements combine, they form a remarkably stable team. As for what the three scientists were doing in the canopy, it was certainly not to strike poses or kill with their gaze—far from it. These dedicated environmentalists wouldn’t even step on an insect. Although current research has proven that the equatorial canopy layer is the world’s largest gathering place for flora and fauna, surpassing both marine and terrestrial ecosystems, they went to great lengths to collect samples from the canopy, conducting experiments to prove that due to abundant sunlight, the content and variety of secondary metabolites in the canopy of any tree are 4.4 times higher than those in seedlings of the same species. These secondary metabolites have broad applications, including pest prevention, pharmaceuticals, interferon production, and sunscreen manufacturing. Tropical forests are also rich in many other rare substances. Thanks to the canopy rafts mentioned earlier (with an area equivalent to a 600-square-meter tennis court and a weight equivalent to all the birds resting in a 600-square-meter forest), no fewer than 30 leading figures from cutting-edge disciplines have entered the canopy world, resulting in a bustling scene of entomologists observing ants, perfumers collecting fragrances, botanists drawing real-life illustrations, and more. The main author of this book, Francis Aleger, the leader of the aforementioned three French scientists, has provided us with another invaluable popular science read. It’s not the first time France has produced scientists with such literary talent, and it can even be traced back to Jean-Henri Fabre, leaving one to marvel at how an emphasis on humanistic spirit can bring a people an extraordinary quality of life! Francis has a relatively accessible explanation for his work. He compares the forest to a dining table set with crystal utensils, fine wine, flowers, and abundant delicacies. Suddenly, a rude person comes along, grabs a chainsaw, and cuts off four legs of the table. With that, all the joy collapses. He uses this metaphor to remind local governments and forest developers who engage in destructive logging: the value of the canopy layer far exceeds the timber itself. This is a proactive and guiding stance to prevent ecological disasters caused by deforestation. The significance of his work lies in this. Given China’s context, I’d like to offer another analogy. In the past, poor families would sell their daughters’ long hair to support their families, even though it brought in only a few pennies, because there were no other options. Today, girls don’t need to shave their heads to earn a living—they can model for shampoo ads, act in movies, and more. Long hair has become part of their overall image, with its value increasing exponentially. Similarly, clearing forests for farmland and giving the Earth a "" (a metaphorical haircut) is a short-sighted act born of material and spiritual poverty, benefiting no one. The day I received this book, I couldn’t resist my curiosity and finished it overnight. I felt that its 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 "Human and Nature Library," 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 Elephant, which sparked a reading frenzy, was one of his solo efforts for this library. To love such a book doesn’t mean everyone has to climb to the canopy to 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. 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 scientists’ cutting-edge research. As your gentle gaze follows the airships and rafts across the Earth’s "hair," who knows how moving that moment will be! The Human and Nature Library 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 repository. Yet, because it’s so high 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 using airships or hot air balloons equipped with specially designed rafts. With these canopy rafts, scientists from various disciplines—botanists, entomologists, chemists—have been able to move freely in the 40- to 50-meter-high tropical canopies of countries like the Congo, Madagascar, and Guyana, collecting numerous specimens, samples, and data. Through analysis and research, they’ve revealed a series of secrets about the canopy space that few people knew about. In the field of medicine and chemistry alone, they’ve made breakthroughs in studying tropical diseases and extracted rare fragrances from a unique flower. Their explorations have become a globally celebrated scientific event. Reading this book and following the authors as they navigate the canopies and surf the treetops will bring you many new insights and fascinating knowledge.