words by atmos
photographs by leandro justen
Folklore and fairytales often present forests with an air of mystique. Fairies drift between trees as monsters lurk in the shadows. Whether magical or cautionary, stories across time have told us life persists beneath the canopy—as true in fantasy as in science. Within forests are living networks of cooperation and reciprocity, where plants, fungi, animals, and people exist in relationship with one another. What might we learn by approaching forests not simply as resources, but as communities of life with their own intelligence, resilience, and ways of being?
For this year’s New York Climate Week, Atmos invited guests to explore that question with Enchanted Forest, a curated gathering at The New York Public Library. Bringing together authors, artists, scientists, and cultural voices, the evening unfolded through story, song, science, and spirit, creating space to reflect on our relationship with the natural world and the possibilities of a more reciprocal future.
Atmos’ executive director and host of the event, Theresa Perez, began the evening by inviting the audience to journey deep into the forest and ask what it means to be in relationship with the living world. She then introduced “Forest Frequencies,” a meditative, musical journey through California’s Sequoia National Forest performed by artist Dianna Lopez. From there, the program turned to the hidden relationships that sustain forest ecosystems. In “Funga and the Forest,” mycologist Giuliana Furci and Maria Popova, writer and creator of The Marginalian, explored the wonders of fungi and the wisdom they offer.
“Fungi are organisms that invite us to think about relationships,” Furci said. “They are organisms that embody the fact that individuals don’t exist.”
The conversation then moved to the Amazon, where the fight to protect forests is intertwined with the defense of Indigenous lands and communities. Following excerpts from the film YANUNI, the film’s protagonist Juma Xipaia, director Richard Ladkani, and executive producer Dax Dasilva joined a discussion moderated by Earthrise Co-founder Alice Aedy that shared perspectives on the film and the urgent work of forest protection. Xipaia concluded with a simple request for the audience: to love more.
Later in the evening, “Helping Forests Walk” brought together founder and leader of Plant Baby Plant Robin Wall Kimmerer and Atmos Editor-in-Chief Willow Defebaugh to consider what reciprocity with forests might look like in a changing climate. Kimmerer began the conversation with a story that ended with a “mighty shout” from all of the organisms in the forest, emphasizing the power of the “Great Green We.”
“The forest has taught me that there is no such thing as an individual,” Kimmerer said. “That is, it is a fiction—our separation from each other, our separation from the living world.”
Dr. Ticora V. Jones, chief science officer of the Natural Resources Defense Council, continued the conversation in “Advocacy & Action: Turning Science Into Meaningful Change,” exploring the role of tangible, science-driven solutions in advancing environmental action.
Following the evening program, a cocktail reception in the library’s Astor Hall featured Dancing With the Sylvan, a site-specific photography exhibition by artist Elizaveta Porodina. Porodina’s ethereal images, shot in California’s redwood forests, offered another way of engaging with the natural world. The community came together against this backdrop for further conversation and connection.
Through art, music, scientific inquiry, and storytelling, Enchanted Forest invited guests to consider what it means to live in relationship with the forests that sustain us, and how a deeper understanding of their interconnectedness might help shape a more resilient future.
Event Production Executive Producer Theresa Perez Producer Michelle Golden Event Planning Apotheosis Events Event Design Birch Events Audio & Lighting L&M Sound & Light Soundscape Peter M. Murray Catering Great Performances Dancing With the Sylvan Exhibition Photographer Elizaveta Porodina Photographic Lighting Josef Beyer Talent Lou Schoof
Join our membership community. Support our work, receive a complimentary subscription to Atmos Magazine, and more.
For Climate Week, Atmos Steps Into an Enchanted Forest
For Climate Week, Atmos Steps Into an Enchanted Forest
