Dr. Patricia Westerford
Nature’s emissary in ‘The Overstory’
The little girl who grows up to be Dr. Westerford has an inborn affinity with the natural world. Her father nurtures this passion, teaching her to see all that is green with awe and wonder.
She sees life through a lens that gives her an enhanced vision of nature. Where you and I see a tree, she sees an ecosystem. When she contemplates an ancient tree being felled, she feels the same horror at that destruction that I would feel seeing a person or animal being killed. That tree matters.
She is a scientist at heart long before she begins and advances her formal education. Her foundation is built on boundless curiosity and respect for scientific discovery.
“As certain as weather coming from the west, the things people know for sure will change… The only dependable things are humility and looking.” (Richard Powers)
