In today’s column, I examine a new and exciting documentary entitled “Into the Woods” that offers a timely and engaging look at how forests and our daily lives intersect, even if you are a city dweller who rarely gets a chance to visit forests. The wood that underlies your home or multi-story building was undoubtedly sourced from a forest. It is useful to take a reflective moment and give due consideration to what forests do for us, and what we do for forests.
There is an added nuance to the forest topic that I would like to bring to your attention. I dip into AI to assist me when I aim to visit a forest. Yes, I use generative AI and large language models (LLMs) as an informative guide for my nature romps. This includes asking AI for suggestions when preparing for a forest visit, using AI while in a forest and desirous of expanding my experience there, and on a post-visit debriefing basis. I realize that using AI in this fashion might seem contrary to the purity of engaging in nature, but if done properly, AI can be a big boost and potential lifesaver.
Let’s talk about it. This analysis of AI breakthroughs is part of my ongoing Forbes column coverage of the latest in AI, including identifying and explaining key AI complexities (see the link here).
Important New Documentary
Readers might recall that I previously reviewed an excellent documentary entitled “Life on Wheels” that cleverly explored the mobility revolution; see my review at the link here, and that I also examined the film “Walk With Me,” which showcases the immense benefits that walking brings to both body and mind; see my discussion at the link here. Both of those films are worth their weight in gold.
The top-notch filmmakers who made those films, namely the seasoned and acclaimed duo of David Hodge and Hi-Jin Kang Hodge (see their website at the link here), have recently released their latest documentary “Into the Woods” and have once again done an incredible job of revealing something of an eye-catching nature. In this case, they are in fact focused on nature itself, namely the inner and outer world of our forests throughout the globe. The film is available on Amazon Prime, Vimeo on Demand, and several other platforms.
As aptly mentioned in the description of the “Into the Woods” documentary, here’s a key indication of what it is about:
- “Moving through forests from ground level to aerial perspectives, and into the intimate textures of bark, soil, and movement, the film invites viewers to experience forests not as resources, but as living communities.”
The crucial aspect that makes this film different from other documentaries about forests is that three selected experts are given a frank and intense opportunity to reveal keen insights regarding forests that few people are probably aware of (the film is about 55 minutes in length). I’ve been earnestly journeying into forests throughout my lifetime and even served as a Scoutmaster in the Boy Scouts, yet I learned some intriguing and surprising gold nuggets about forests from this innovative and compelling documentary.
The Three Experts
The documentary smoothly weaves together engaging remarks and insights from three forestry experts, namely Adam Felton, Alan Organschi, and Lisa Moulton. Their viewpoints offer distinctly unique ways to understand forests. We hear and see the environmental and ecological underpinnings of forests, along with how modern architectural practices for designing and building homes and multi-story structures affect forests. The added spice includes stealthy animal-tracking techniques, an intriguing way to understand the vast biodiversity of forests.
Adam Felton is an Associate Professor of Forest Ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences; see his bio at the link here. His research investigates how species tend to respond to various types of forest management approaches, along with the corresponding societal trade-offs involved. During the documentary, he skillfully discusses the interrelationships of tree species, forest disturbance regimes, and structural variabilities.
Alan Organschi is a principal and partner at GOA, an architectural practice in New Haven, Connecticut; see the link here. GOA is recognized internationally for its emphasis on integration of design, construction, and environmental research. He also serves as the Director of the Innovation Lab at the Bauhaus der Erde. I found that his indication in the film of closely thinking about constructing homes and buildings as integrally linked to our forests to be of great significance. Each structure that you drive past on your way to work or during your travels represents a likely impact on our forests, which can be well-managed or regrettably poorly managed.
Lisa Moulton is an acclaimed landscape architect; see her bio at the link here. She stridently believes that each of her projects should mindfully entail a thoughtful assessment of a site’s current uses, history, and ecological context, including giving heightened sensitivity to these qualities, whether located in rolling hills, alluvial plains, forests, beachfronts, or urban settings. Turns out that she is also a certified tracker, versed in detecting and tracking wildlife. This demonstrably aids in gauging the synergies of the forest and the animals that live there. One comment that she made during the film that especially struck a chord with me was that she enters a forest by first saying hello, an acknowledgment of the forest and its members as living beings.
Catalyst To Leveraging AI
Whenever you venture into a forest, it is usually advisable to set aside your electronic devices and concentrate on the wonders of nature. Too many people seem to wander throughout a forest and have their eyes and ears riveted to their smartphones and smartwatches. They fail to look up and relish the beauty and grandeur that surround them, failing miserably at relishing a kind of forest bathing that could soothe their nerves and regain their mental composure.
That being said, I would like to offer an additional thought that I realize might be a bit disquieting at first. My forest journeys these days involve the use of AI. Yes, I admit that I am carrying my smartphone with me and use it to tap into AI as an aid for enhancing my forest-going adventure. You can use AI to share with you the forestry expertise that would otherwise only be available if you had a forest ranger nearby or hired a forest guide to accompany you.
This use of AI is likely to bolster your appreciation for the forest, rather than detract from it. If you moderately use AI, sparingly and with suitable awareness, tremendous benefits arise. Like anything in life, if you go too far and become enamored of AI or forget that you ought to only be using AI for forest-related purposes, the whole kit-and-caboodle will undermine your forest visit. Be smart, be aware, and be cautious.
I employ a three-stage use of AI in this forestry context:
- (1) Pre-visit. Use AI as a pre-visit aid when anticipating going to the forest.
- (2) During. Use AI during a forest visit (suitably, sparingly).
- (3) Post-visit. Use AI as a post-visit aid after having been to a forest.
Let’s unpack those three stages.
Forest Pre-Visit Stage
You can leverage AI to prepare for a forest visit. Doing so can substantively enhance your visit. It might steer you toward preparations that could save you from potential trouble or harm while in a forest. Best to avoid those dour regrets afterward of not having been well-prepared for the forest.
Here’s an example prompt to AI:
- User-entered prompt: “I’m going to a forest that I’ve never been to. I plan to be there for about four to six hours. What should I do in preparation for the trip? Don’t just tell me facts; teach me about what to do and what to notice.”
That would get the AI engaged in a dialogue about being safe and sound when it comes to visiting a forest. You would be wise to drill down into details and fully converse about your desires and fears associated with the forest visit. Something else that I garnered from “Into the Woods” is that it would be instrumental to discuss with AI aspects of how to reduce your impact or footprint on the forest while visiting, along with expanding your thinking to consider the environmental and ecological elements of forests.
During The Forest Visit
While in a forest, you can continue to lean into AI, doing so as appropriate. For example, I use AI to prod me to notice what is around me.
The AI gives me these kinds of suggestions:
- Observe how the canopy alters rays of sunshine and shadows.
- Listen for a cacophony of sounds, trying to piece out distinct sounds too.
- Look up, look down, look all around (versus staring straight ahead or possibly only looking down at your feet the entire time)
- Keep an eye out for what species of trees there are, what seems to be the status of the trees, etc.
- Watch for evidence that animals have been where you are; gauge whether the animal tracks are old or fresh.
- Discern the boundaries of the ecological zones.
- And so on.
I use a gamification approach, aiming to see how much more I can learn about a forest and can improve my skills at hiking and enjoying a forest trip.
Forest Post-Visit Stage
Once I get back home, I give myself some quiet time to contemplate how the forest visit went. It is handy to use AI to broaden my mental scope about the experience. I allow AI to ask me questions about what I did and what I gleaned.
There are some crucial caveats to keep in mind when using AI this way. First, if you are using a major commercial LLM, the odds are that the online licensing agreement indicates that your conversations with the AI are not considered private or confidential. The AI maker reserves the right to inspect your AI discussions, including potentially using that as content to further train their AI. Do not assume that your AI chats are strictly private and secure.
Second, the AI you use might require an Internet connection. If so, it could be that you won’t be able to access the AI in remote areas of a forest. Be cautious and do not overly rely on AI to be available to aid you. You still need to be capable on your own. Do know that there are SLMs (small language models) that can run on a standalone basis on your smartphone, and don’t need or use an internet connection; see my discussion at the link here.
The World Around Us
For those who are interested in the existing status and future of our forests, “Into the Woods” provides a brisk, enjoyable, and informative look at the vital topic, doing so synergistically by connecting the forest to our daily lives even if living principally in a bustling city. The wood that is in the beams of your home or is the mainstay of your dining table is a hidden-in-plain-sight example of how we don’t necessarily appreciate what our forests provide for us. We could all use a smidgen of eye-opening about forests.
A final thought for now. John Muir famously made this comment: “Between every two pines is a doorway to a new world.” On your next visit to a forest, consider looking for and exploring the new worlds that are all around you. If you decide to augment that exploration with AI, please do so with aplomb.