Harriet Rix [2]


​Harriet Rix

​Harriet Rix is a British tree science consultant, researcher, and author. She is best known for her 2025 work, The Genius of Trees, which explores the biochemical and environmental agency of forests. Rix has worked extensively in the fields of arboriculture, landmine clearance, and environmental history.

​Early life and education

​Rix was raised in Devon, England. She attended the University of Oxford, where she earned a degree in biochemistry. She subsequently attended the University of Cambridge, completing an MPhil in the History and Philosophy of Science, with a research focus on Ottoman science.

​Career

​Landmine clearance

​Prior to her work in tree science, Rix worked in the Middle East in the humanitarian sector. She served with the HALO Trust and Danish Church Aid, focusing on landmine and improvised explosive device (IED) clearance in Iraq and Syria. Rix has cited her observations of the landscape during this period—specifically an oak tree growing through solid rock in Iraqi Kurdistan—as the primary inspiration for her shift toward studying tree resilience and biochemistry.

​Tree science and advocacy

​Rix transitioned into the environmental sector as a science and research project manager at The Tree Council in the UK. In this role, she collaborated with the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) on research regarding tree diseases and urban forest strategies.

​She served as the secretary for Hedgelink, the UK's national advisory board for hedgerows. Additionally, Rix has worked as a consultant for various international ecological projects and served as a scientific advisor for the climate documentary The Last Glaciers.

​Rix is a trustee of Hasar, an Iraqi environmental NGO dedicated to climate resilience, water security, and reforestation in the Kurdistan region.

​Writing

​Rix was a 2021–2022 London Library Emerging Writer. Her essays and photography, often focusing on the intersection of botany, history, and conflict, have appeared in the Financial Times, London Review of Books, The Times Literary Supplement, and Cornucopia.

​In 2025, she published her first book, The Genius of Trees: How They Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World (Bodley Head/Vintage). The book received critical acclaim for its scientific rigor and its argument that trees are active "agents" rather than passive organisms. It explores complex biological processes such as the "biotic pump" theory and the ways trees utilize fire and biochemistry to engineer their environments.

​Recognition

  • ​2025: The Genius of Trees was named a "Best Book of the Year" by The New Yorker.
  • ​2026: Longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction.

​Bibliography

  • ​The Genius of Trees: How They Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World (2025). ISBN 978-1847927828.

As a tree science consultant and former London Library Emerging Writer, Harriet Rix has contributed a range of essays and research-based articles to major publications. 

While her 2025 book The Genius of Trees is her most substantial work, her shorter pieces often bridge the gap between biochemistry, history, and international conservation. 

​Below is a bibliography of her recent articles and contributions through 2024–2026.

​Books & Book Chapters
​Rix, H. (2025). The Genius of Trees: How They Mastered the Elements and Shaped the World. London: Bodley Head / Crown Publishing.

(Longlisted for the 2026 Women’s Prize for Non-Fiction).

​Rix, H. (2024). "The Architecture of the Forest." In Capturing Nature. Princeton Architectural Press. (A contribution exploring the intersection of natural forms and environmental history).

​Selected Journalism & Essays
​London Review of Books (LRB)

​"Roots of Conflict" (2025): An essay reflecting on her time in Iraq and Syria, linking landmine clearance to the resilience of ancient oak forests.

​"The Biotic Pump" (2024): A technical yet accessible deep dive into how large-scale forests manipulate air pressure to transport water across continents.

​Financial Times (FT)
​"The New Forest Economy" (2025): A weekend feature on the economic and ecological value of urban "micro-forests" and the science of tree disease management.

​"Green Diplomacy in Kurdistan" (2024): An op-ed discussing her work with the charity Hasar and the role of reforestation in Middle Eastern climate resilience.

​Cornucopia Magazine
​"The Oaks of Amedi" (2025): A photographic and narrative essay on the cultural and biological history of oak species in the mountains of Northern Iraq.

​"Ottoman Botanicals" (2024): Drawing on her MPhil research, this piece explores the history of scientific exchange and botanical illustration in the Ottoman Empire.

​Times Literary Supplement (TLS)

​"The Language of Leaves" (2026): A review essay of recent botanical literature, critiquing the trend of anthropomorphizing plants while advocating for a recognition of their biological "agency."

​"Deep Time and Deep Roots" (2024): A reflection on the fossil forests of the Canary Islands and what they reveal about prehistoric climate shifts.

​Scientific & Policy Reports
​Rix, H. et al. (2024). Urban Tree Resilience Strategy: A Report for Defra. Published by The Tree Council. (A technical brief on mitigating Ash Dieback and other pathogens in UK urban centers).

​Rix, H. (2024). National Hedgerow Management Guidelines. Published by Hedgelink UK.

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