Magic Cat’s ‘Song of the Cedars’ Names Cloud Forest as Co-Author
A new picture book credits the Los Cedros Cloud Forest as a formal co-author.
1Forest as Co-Author
Magic Cat’s new picture book, Song of the Cedars, lists the Los Cedros Cloud Forest as a formal co-author. This unique attribution includes writer Robert Macfarlane, musician Cosmo Sheldrake, mycologist Giuliana Furci, and director Cesar Rodriguez-Garavito. The project aims to challenge traditional anthropocentric views regarding the origins of creative works and intellectual property.
2Origins of the Song
The book originated from a song composed during a research expedition to Ecuador. While searching for rare fungi, including the newly named Psilocybe stametsii, the team felt the lyrics emerged directly from the environment. Macfarlane described the writing process as unmediated, with lines appearing as if they were condensing from the forest mist.
3Legal and Moral Context
The forest’s inclusion stems from its legal status under the Ecuadorian Constitution, which grants nature specific rights. In 2021, the Constitutional Court ruled against mining interests to protect the reserve. This legal victory inspired the team to recognize the forest’s moral authorship, highlighting a shift away from standard Western property law frameworks.
4Musical and Visual Design
Musician Cosmo Sheldrake composed the accompanying music using field recordings of rustling leaves, animal calls, and subterranean soil sounds. Illustrator Paula Teran Ospina, a biologist based in Quito, was selected to ensure the artwork captured the region's biodiversity accurately. She spent several days sketching in situ to balance scientific precision with organic aesthetics.
5Immersive Accordion Format
The book features an accordion-style fold-out design intended to submerge young readers in the forest environment. It showcases 83 distinct species of flora, fauna, and funga, with detailed labels on the reverse side. This immersive layout reflects the team's goal of surrounding the reader’s vision with the immense biodiversity of the Ecuadorian landscape.
6Financial Support Mechanism
Royalties generated from the book’s sales will be donated directly to the Los Cedros Fund. This financial commitment serves as a practical method of giving back to the ecosystem that inspired the work. The team views this as a necessary departure from traditional extractive models that prioritize human gain over environmental preservation.
7Future Collaborative Plans
Robert Macfarlane remains actively involved in the forest’s protection as a board member of the Los Cedros Fund. The creative team has already expressed intentions to return to the site for future projects. They hope to compose another song with the forest, continuing their experimental approach to nature-inclusive creative collaboration.
8Challenging Creative Norms
By naming a non-human entity as a co-author, the project forces a re-evaluation of how society defines authorship and creativity. It highlights the potential for literature to act as a bridge between environmental advocacy and artistic expression. This initiative serves as a model for integrating ecological rights into the publishing industry's standard practices.