In a game reserve in South Africa scientists did some research on wildlife nourishment.
It was to find out why some buck were undernourished while there were leaves on the trees, available to be eaten.
They found that some trees in spring time had an amazing defence and communication system between them.
When a herd of antelope came to graze on the new leaves (leaves that the tree needs to produce ... energy for itself)
then within a few minutes the tree will produce a bad chemical taste in the leaves so that the animals will move on.
The amazing part is that soon all the trees (same species) within a few hundred meters will produce the same chemical even before the animals have arrived.

If the tree was a human being then he would have asked WHY and HOW ... just put a fence around the tree.
The tree goes from unaware to aware without the why and how.