The Current What we can learn from the resilience of trees
Mar 24, 2026
Nalini Nadkarni, a canopy biologist and National Geographic explorer who pioneered treetop research, shares daring field methods and vivid sensory stories from rainforest crowns. She recounts a near-fatal 60-foot fall and why she returned to the canopy. Conversations touch on climate threats to canopy plants, innovative outreach bringing diverse people into treetops, and urgent conservation needs.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Canopy Is A Distinct Biological Frontier
- Canopy biology became accessible only in the last ~40 years after adapting climbing, cranes, balloons, and walkways to study treetop ecosystems.
- Access revealed the canopy as a distinct, three-dimensional world with unique species, microclimates, and dynamics unseen from the forest floor.
Mastercaster Reinvented Canopy Access
- Nalini Nadkarni taught herself canopy access and invented the Mastercaster to launch lines into treetops.
- She replaced a crossbow with a slingshot-mounted aluminum rod and fishing reel to park ropes over branches and ascend with ascenders.
Canopy Evokes Unique Sense Of Connection
- Being in the canopy evokes a strong sense of connection and spirituality for Nalini, distinct from her other life experiences.
- She describes sitting astride branches surrounded by active, moving trees and birds flying beneath as uniquely connecting.