The best books on nature connection

Why am I passionate about this?

Holly Worton is an author, podcaster, and speaker. She writes nonfiction books about her adventures to inspire people to get outdoors and reconnect with nature so they can reconnect with themselves. Holly enjoys spending time outdoors, walking and running long-distance trails, and exploring Britain's sacred sites. Travel is important to her: she's originally from California and now lives in England, but has also lived in Spain, Costa Rica, Mexico, Chile, and Argentina. Holly is a member of the Druid order OBOD, and nature connection is an important part of her spirituality.


I wrote...

If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods

By Holly Worton,

Book cover of If Trees Could Talk: Life Lessons from the Wisdom of the Woods

What is my book about?

Holly Worton has spent the last few years talking to trees – the birches, the oaks, the beeches, and the sycamores. You’re probably wondering: How is it that trees can talk? Is this for real?

Trees are living, breathing organisms which humans are able to connect and talk to on a deeper level through silent, telepathic communication. Trees have a much broader perspective on life compared to humans. Trees can live hundreds and even thousands of years. This means trees have thousands of years of wisdom that we’re able to tap into. This book is meant to gently encourage you to get back to Nature and turn to the magic and the wisdom of the trees. By reconnecting to Nature, you can improve your relationship with yourself, which will help you make better, more aligned choices in your life.

Shepherd is reader supported. When you buy books, we may earn an affiliate commission.

The books I picked & why

Book cover of The Hidden Life of Trees

Holly Worton Why did I love this book?

This is a fantastic book on the science of how trees communicate amongst themselves—something that humans haven’t understood until very recently. This book will help readers understand the complexity of trees as living beings, and how they work.

By Peter Wohlleben, Jane Billinghurst (translator),

Why should I read it?

12 authors picked The Hidden Life of Trees as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

"A paradigm-smashing chronicle of joyous entanglement that will make you acknowledge your own entanglement in the ancient and ever-new web of being."--Charles Foster, author of Being a Beast Are trees social beings? In this international bestseller, forester and author Peter Wohlleben convincingly makes the case that, yes, the forest is a social network. He draws on groundbreaking scientific discoveries to describe how trees are like human families: tree parents live together with their children, communicate with them, support them as they grow, share nutrients with those who are sick or struggling, and even warn each other of impending dangers. Wohlleben…


Book cover of Woodcraft: A practical celebration of the tree

Holly Worton Why did I love this book?

Nature connection is not just about meditating in a woodland—it’s about reconnecting to our past and working with the resources we have in the natural world around us. This book will help readers learn all the different crafts and activities they can participate in—and even more importantly, it will teach them sustainable harvesting practices.

By John Rhyder,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Woodcraft as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

'A few tools and a wide range of skills can achieve many things ...'

If you've ever wanted to make your own bow and arrows, learn to create fire using friction, or mix up glue and dyes from the natural resources that surround us, then this is the book for you. John Rhyder has taught traditional woodcraft skills for several decades and can now teach you in this no-nonsense, amusing and easy-to-follow guide.

Woodcraft will take you on a practical learning journey - from the safe use of tools and sustainable harvesting of wood to the subsequent uses for roots,…


Book cover of The Weekend Homesteader: A Twelve-Month Guide to Self-Sufficiency

Holly Worton Why did I love this book?

Even if you aren’t interested in becoming fully self-sufficient, this book is an eye-opening and exciting look at the possibilities available to us. Growing our own food (even some of it) can help us to reconnect with nature. It’s also very empowering.

By Anna Hess,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked The Weekend Homesteader as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Whether you want to live off the grid in a fully self-sufficient way, or just turn your backyard into your own small homestead, here is advice on backyard chicken care, how to plant a no-till garden that heals the soil, composting, canning, and much more.

The Weekend Homesteader is organized by month-so whether it's January or June you'll find exciting, quick-to-do projects that allow you to start your own homestead without getting overwhelmed. If you need to fit homesteading into a few hours each weekend and would like to have fun while doing it, these projects will be right up…


Book cover of Living Druidry

Holly Worton Why did I love this book?

Many people feel a spiritual connection with nature and plants, but they don’t have a framework for understanding it. This book will help readers connect with plants on a spiritual level by following the author through her own nature-based practices. It may or may not be for you, but it will certainly give you a new perspective on nature and the outdoors.

By Emma Restall Orr,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Living Druidry as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Grounded in everyday life and experience this book guides the reader to find their own vision, and their own deep, personal, ecstatic relationship with nature. You will learn about: The fundamental principles underlying Druidry; The relevance of Druidry and nature spirituality today; The powers of nature that resonate within the individual; Understanding and accepting yourself; How to bring a profound spiritual experience into your everyday life; Simple ways to acknowledge and embrace the wild side of your nature


Book cover of Walking the Great North Line: From Stonehenge to Lindisfarne to Discover the Mysteries of Our Ancient Past

Holly Worton Why did I love this book?

Nature connection is also about having adventures in the outdoors. What better way to plan new outdoor adventures than to be inspired by someone else’s? This book follows the author on an unconventional new route through England.

By Robert Twigger,

Why should I read it?

1 author picked Walking the Great North Line as one of their favorite books, and they share why you should read it.

What is this book about?

Robert Twigger, poet and travel author, was in search of a new way up England when he stumbled across the Great North Line. From Christchurch on the South Coast to Old Sarum to Stonehenge, to Avebury, to Notgrove barrow, to Meon Hill in the midlands, to Thor's Cave, to Arbor Low stone circle, to Mam Tor, to Ilkley in Yorkshire and its three stone circles and the Swastika Stone, to several forts and camps in Northumberland to Lindisfarne (plus about thirty more sites en route). A single dead straight line following 1 degree 50 West up Britain. No other north-south…


You might also like...

Mindleap: A Fresh View of Education Empowered by Neuroscience and Systems Thinking

By Jim Brown,

Book cover of Mindleap: A Fresh View of Education Empowered by Neuroscience and Systems Thinking

Jim Brown Author Of Mindleap: A Fresh View of Education Empowered by Neuroscience and Systems Thinking

New book alert!

Why am I passionate about this?

I have spent my entire professional life quietly patrolling the frontiers of understanding human consciousness. I was an early adopter in the burgeoning field of biofeedback, then neurofeedback and neuroscience, plus theory and practices of humanistic and transpersonal psychology, plus steeping myself in systems theory as a context for all these other fields of focus. I hold a MS in psychology from San Francisco State University and a PhD from Saybrook Institute. I live in Mount Shasta CA with Molly, my life partner for over 60 years. We have two sons and two grandchildren.

Jim's book list on brain, mind, and consciousness

What is my book about?

In this thoroughly researched and exquisitely crafted treatise, Jim Brown synthesizes the newest understandings in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and dynamical systems theory for educators and others committed to nurturing human development.

He explains complex concepts in down-to-earth terms, suggesting how these understandings can transform education to engender optimal learning and intelligence. He explores the nature of consciousness, intelligence, and mind.

Brown then offers a model of optimal human learning through lifelong brain development within a supportive culture--drawing on the work of Piaget, Erickson, Maslow, Kohlberg, and Steiner--and how that work is being vastly expanded by neuroscience and dynamical systems thinking.

Mindleap: A Fresh View of Education Empowered by Neuroscience and Systems Thinking

By Jim Brown,

What is this book about?

In this thoroughly-researched and exquisitely crafted treatise, Jim Brown synthesizes the newest understandings in neuroscience, developmental psychology, and dynamical systems theory for educators and others committed to nurturing human development. He explains complex concepts in down-to-earth terms, suggesting how these understandings can transform education to truly engender optimal learning and intelligence. He explores the nature of consciousness, intelligence, and mind. Brown then offers a model of optimal human learning through life-long brain development within a supportive culture--drawing on the work of Piaget, Erickson, Maslow, Kohlberg, and Steiner--and how that work is being vastly expanded by neuroscience and dynamical systems thinking.


5 book lists we think you will like!

Interested in humans connection with nature, historic sites, and trees?

11,000+ authors have recommended their favorite books and what they love about them. Browse their picks for the best books about humans connection with nature, historic sites, and trees.

Humans Connection With Nature Explore 4 books about humans connection with nature
Historic Sites Explore 14 books about historic sites
Trees Explore 49 books about trees