The forest is much more than just trees. In this first joint work offering a more comprehensive introduction to the secrets of the forest than ever before, Germany's most famous forester Peter Wohlleben and renowned biologist Pierre L. Ibisch combine their extraordinary knowledge and the latest findings of international science. They shed light on the thicket of a highly complex ecosystem. Through fascinating examples from nature, they show the unexpected interaction of plants, animals, microbes, viruses and fungi, a world in which no element can exist without the other. They allow us to experience the forest as we have never seen it before: as supercomputer, bioreactor, builder and rain generator. Humans are also part of this system in balance. However, the latest scientific discoveries give us reason to critically question the way we treat the forest. Our history, our culture and our entire development are inextricably linked to the forest. The authors show to what extent not only our past, but above all our future depends on the forest. But how can we manage forests without destroying our way of life? Together, the forestry experts look to the future of the forest and thus to the future of man, who cannot exist without the forest.