- Place the game board in the center of the play area and optionally place the 14 reference cards next to it.
- Each player takes a cave card.
- Set aside the 3 winter cards and shuffle the remaining cards and return
some cards to the box based on player count:
- 2 players: 30
- 3 players: 20
- 4 players: 10
- 5 players: 0 (use all cards)
- Divide the remaining cards into 3 face down piles of the same-ish size.
- Shuffle 2 winter cards into 1 pile. Then place the 3rd winter card on top of that same pile.
- Stack all the cards into a single deck with the pile containing the winter cards at the bottom of the stack. Place the deck to the left of the board.
- Each player draws 6 cards into their hand.
- If none of the cards is a tree, you may take a mulligan by
removing all 6 cards in your hand from the game. Then draw
a new hand of 6 cards.
- Each player may only mulligan once.
- If none of the cards is a tree, you may take a mulligan by
removing all 6 cards in your hand from the game. Then draw
a new hand of 6 cards.
- Choose a 1st player.
The game is played over a number of rounds until the 3rd winter card is revealed, which ends the game immediately (you don't even finish your turn).
On your turn, you must do one of the following actions:
- Draw 2 cards
- OR Play a card and check the clearing
- Draw 2 Cards
- Draw 2 cards, 1 at a time, and add them to your hand.
- For each card, you may choose to draw from the deck or take a face-up card from the board.
- You can have a max of 10 cards in your hand. i.e. if you have 9 cards in hand, you can only draw 1 card.
- If you draw a winter card, place it face up next to the board and
draw a replacement card.
- If it is the 3rd winter card, the game ends immediately and you proceed to end game and final scoring.
- Draw 2 cards, 1 at a time, and add them to your hand.
- Play a Card and Check the Clearing
- Each card has either 1 tree or 2 forest dwellers.
- Each tree card features exactly 1 type of tree.
- All other cards are split in half, either vertically or horizontally.
- To play a card:
- Pay the cost in cards (upper left) by placing that many cards
face up on the board.
- If playing a split card, only pay for the half you are going to expose.
- Trees are played separate from other trees.
- Also draw a card from the deck when playing a tree and
place it on the board with your payment.
- If you draw a winter card, set it next to the board and draw another card, unless it is the 3rd winter card, in which case proceed to end game.
- You may also play any card face down as a tree.
- Also draw a card from the deck when playing a tree and
place it on the board with your payment.
- Forest dwellers are "attached" to a tree by sliding 1 half
under a tree and leaving the other half exposed.
- Each tree can have only 1 card on each side (left, right, top, bottom).
- You may take any bonus or apply any effect after playing
1 of these cards.
- Some cards provide instant effects and some are permanent, ongoing effects.
- Cards with a
symbol in a colored arrow provide a bonus if all cards
used to pay for the played card have the same color.- With split cards as payment, it doesn't matter which half shows the symbol.
- Pay the cost in cards (upper left) by placing that many cards
face up on the board.
- After playing a card, check the board and if there are 10 or more face up cards on it, remove all the face up cards from the game.
- Each card has either 1 tree or 2 forest dwellers.
The game ends immediately when the 3rd winter card is drawn, which means that whoever drew it does not finish their turn.
Scoring
- Total the points of all visible cards.
- Score 1 point for each card under your cave card.
- Reminder: Cards played face down as trees do not count for any kind of scoring.
The player with the highest number of points wins. If there is a tie, the players share the victory.
Symbol Description 
Amphibian 
Tree 
Bat 
Deer 
Insect 
Cloven-hoofed animal 
Plant 
Pawed animal 
Mushroom 
Butterfly 
Bird 
Draw the indicated number of cards from the top of the deck. 
Draw a number of cards from the top of the deck = to the number of cards in your tableau with the matching symbol. 
Draw a number of cards from the top of the deck = to the number of items in your tableau indicated by the text. 
Place a creature of the indicated type into your tableau without paying its cost. You cannot use the effect or bonus on the card. 
Take another full turn after this one, choosing between drawing cards or playing a card.
Barbastelle Bat
(left/right, 3x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each bat in your forest scores 5 points if your forest contains at least 3 different of the 4 bat species: Barbastelle Bat, Bechstein’s Bat, Brown Long-Eared Bat, and Greater Horseshoe Bat. If there are less than 3 bat species in your forest, your bats score no points.
Bechstein's Bat
(left/right, 3x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each bat in your forest scores 5 points if your forest contains at least 3 different of the 4 bat species: Barbastelle Bat, Bechstein’s Bat, Brown Long-Eared Bat, and Greater Horseshoe Bat. If there are less than 3 bat species in your forest, your bats score no points.
Beech
(tree, 10x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: Each Beech in your forest scores 5 points if your forest contains at least 4 Beeches. If there are less than 4 Beeches in your forest, your Beeches score no points. Violet Carpenter Bees at Beeches increase the total of Beeches you have (see Violet Carpenter Bee). The following table shows the possible point totals for Beeches.
# Beeches Points 1 0 2 0 (10 points if you placed at least 2 Violet Carpenter Bees at your beech) 3 0 (15 points if you placed at least one Violet Carpenter Bee at a Beech) 4 20 5 25 6 30 7 35 8 40 9 45 10 50 Beach Marten
(left/right, 5x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: The Beech Marten scores 5 points for each fully occupied tree in your forest. If you have more than one Beech Marten, these points are multiplied accordingly. Reminder: a tree is considered fully occupied if there is at least one card on each of its four sides.
Birch
(tree, 10x, cost: 0)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: Each birch scores 1 point.
Blackberries
(bottom, 3x, cost: 0)
- Points: The Blackberries score 2 points for each plant card in your forest, including the Blackberries. If you have more than one Blackberries in your forest, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Brown Bear
(left/right, 3x, cost: 3)
- Effect: Remove all cards from the clearing and place them under your cave card, including the cards with which you paid for the Brown Bear.
- Bonus: Draw a card from the deck and take another turn after you complete this one, again choosing between drawing or playing cards.
- Points: The Brown Bear scores no points, but each card under your cave card scores 1 point.
Brown Long-Eared Bat
(left/right, 3x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each bat in your forest scores 5 points if your forest contains at least 3 different of the 4 bat species: Barbastelle Bat, Bechstein’s Bat, Brown Long-Eared Bat, and Greater Horseshoe Bat. If there are less than 3 bat species in your forest, your bats score no points.
Bullfinch
(top, 4x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each insect card in your forest scores 2 points. If you have more than one Bullfinch, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Camberwell Beauty
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Butterflies of different species form a set: you score 0, 3, 6, 12, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 different butterflies in your forest. Each card can only be part of one set.
Chaffinch
(top, 4x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each Chaffinch in your forest atop a Beech scores 5 points. Chaffinches atop a different tree species score no points.
Chanterelle
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Permanent Effect: From your next turn on, whenever you play a tree card, you may draw a card from the deck, after you pay for the tree card, but before you carry out its effect and bonus. If you have both Chanterelles, you may draw up to two cards when playing a tree card.
- Points: The Chanterelle scores no points.
Common Toad
(bottom, 6x, cost: 0)
- Permanent Effect: If you play another Common Toad on a later turn, you can place it in the same card slot as this one. At most two Common Toads may share a card slot.
- Points: Each Common Toad in your forest that shares a card slot with another Common Toad scores 5 points. A single Common Toad in a card slot scores no points.
Douglas Fir
(tree, 7x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Take another turn after you complete this one, again choosing between drawing and playing cards.
- Points: Each Douglas Fir scores 5 points.
Eurasian Jay
(top, 4x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Take another turn after you complete this one, again choosing between drawing) and playing cards.
- Points: Each Eurasian Jay scroes 3 points.
European Badger
(left/right, 4x, cost: 1)
- Bonus: Place a pawed animal card from your hand into your forest at no cost, without using the effect and bonus of that card.
- Points: Each European Badger scores 2 points.
European Fat Dormouse
(left/right, 4x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each European Fat Dormouse in your forest that is at a tree with a bat (in the opposite card slot) scores 15 points. European Fat Dormice at trees without a bat score no points.
European Hare
(left/right, 11x, cost: 0)
- Permanent Effect: If you play another European Hare on a later turn, you can place it in the same card slot as this one. Any number of European Hares may share a card slot. (If you play a European Hare via the "place creature" effect, you may place it at a spot already containing one or more European Hares.)
- Points: Each European Hare in your forest scores a number of points equal to the total number of European Hares in your forest. The following table shows the possible point totals for European Hares.
# Hares Points 1 1 2 4 3 9 4 16 5 25 6 36 7 49 8 64 9 81 10 100 11 121 Fallow Deer
(left/right, 4x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Draw 2 cards from the deck.
- Points: The Fallow Deer scores 3 points for each cloven-hoofed animal card in your forest, including the Fallow Deer. If you have more than one Fallow Deer in your forest, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Fireflies
(bottom, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: All your Fireflies form a set: you score 0, 10, 15, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, or 4 Fireflies in your forest.
Fire Salamander
(bottom, 3x, cost: 1)
- Bonus: Place a pawed animal card from your hand into your forest at no cost, without using the effect and bonus of that card.
- Points: All your Fire Salamanders form a set: you score 5, 15, or 25 points for having 1, 2, or 3 Fire Salamanders in your forest, respectively.
Fly Agaric
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Permanent Effect: From your next turn on, whenever you play a pawed animal card, you may draw a card from the deck, after you pay for the pawed animal card but before you carry out its effect and bonus. If you have both Fly Agarics, you may draw up to two cards when playing a pawed animal card.
- Points: The Fly Agaric scores no points.
Gnat
(left/right, 3x, cost: 0)
- Effect: Place any number of bats from your hand into your forest at no cost.
- Points: Each bat card in your forest scores 1 point. If you have more than one Gnat, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Goshawk
(top, 4x, cost: 2)
- Points: The Goshawk scores 3 points for each bird card in your forest, including the Goshawk. If you have more than one Goshawk, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Greater Horseshoe Bat
(left/right, 3x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each bat in your forest scores 5 points if your forest contains at least 3 different of the 4 bat species: Barbastelle Bat, Bechstein’s Bat, Brown Long-Eared Bat, and Greater Horseshoe Bat. If there are less than 3 bat species in your forest, your bats score no points.
Great Spotted Woodpecker
(top, 4x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: Each Great Spotted Woodpecker in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains the most trees (or is tied for most), including any tree saplings. Violet Carpenter Bees in your forest increase the total of trees in it (see Violet Carpenter Bee). If any other forest contains more trees than yours, your Great Spotted Woodpeckers score no points.
Hedgehog
(bottom, 3x, cost: 1)
- Bonus: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: The Hedgehog scores 2 points for each butterfly card in your forest. If you have more than one Hedgehog, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Horse Chestnut
(tree, 11x, cost: 1)
- Points: All your Horse Chestnuts form a set: you score 1, 4, 9, 16, 25, or 36 points for having exactly 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, or 6 Horse Chestnuts; if you have 7 or more Horse Chestnuts, you score 49 points. Violet Carpenter Bees at Horse Chestnuts increase the total of Horse Chestnuts you have (see Violet Carpenter Bee).
Large Toroiseshell
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Butterflies of different species form a set: you score 0, 3, 6, 12, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 different butterflies in your forest. Each card can only be part of one set.
Linden Tree
(tree, 9x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each Linden Tree in your forest scores 1 point. If your forest contains the most Linden Trees (or is tied for most), your Linden Trees score 3 points each instead. Violet Carpenter Bees at Linden Trees increase the number of Linden Trees you have (see Violet Carpenter Bee).
Lynx
(left/right, 6x, cost: 1)
- Points: Each Lynx in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains at least 1 Roe Deer. If there is no Roe Deer in your forest, your Lynxes score no points.
Mole
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Effect: After you play the Mole, you may play any number of
additional cards from your hand as follows:
- Decide which of your current cards in hand you want to play via the effect of the Mole.
- Pay the combined printed cost of all cards that you want to play and place them in your forest, according to the normal rules. Keep track of which cards you pay with matching tree symbols (for the bonus of those cards).
- Finally, carry out the effects and bonuses of the played cards, in the order they entered play.
- New cards that you get from the effects and bonuses of the played cards are irrelevant for the Mole: you may not play them via the Mole nor may you use them to pay for the played cards.
- If you gain any additional turns from the effects and bonuses of the played cards, keep track of how many you gain and take them one after the other, after you complete this turn.
- Special case: Even if you play the second Mole via the first, carry out the effects of the second Mole when it is its turn in the order of played cards. Cards played via the second Mole will be carried out before any cards played via the first Mole that are yet to be carried out. When carrying out the second Mole, you can play and use cards drawn from effects of the cards played via the first Mole. After you finish carrying out the cards played via the second Mole, carry on with the remaining cards played via the first Mole.
- Points: The Moles scores no points.
Moss
(bottom, 3x, cost: 0)
- Points: Each Moss in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains at least 10 trees, including any tree saplings. Violet Carpenter Bees in your forest increase the total of trees in it (see Violet Carpenter Bee). If there are less than 10 trees in your forest, your Mosses score no points.
Oak
(tree, 7x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Take another turn after you complete this one, again choosing between drawing and playing cards.
- Points: Each Oak in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains all 8 tree species: Beech, Birch, Douglas Fir, Horse Chestnut, Linden Tree, Oak, Silver Fir, and Sycamore. If you are missing at least one tree species in your forest, your Oaks score no points.
Parasol Mushroom
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Permanent Effect: From your next turn on, whenever you place a card below a tree, you may draw a card from the deck, after you pay for the played card but before you carry out its effect and bonus. If you have both Parasol Mushrooms, you may draw up to two cards when placing a card below a tree. (When you play the second Parasol Mushroom, however, you only draw one card—for the first Parasol Mushroom.)
- Points: The Parasol Mushroom scores no points.
Peacock Butterfly
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Butterflies of different species form a set: you score 0, 3, 6, 12, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 different butterflies in your forest. Each card can only be part of one set.
Penny Bun
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Permanent Effect: From your next turn on, whenever card from the deck, after you pay for the played card but before you carry out its effect and bonus. If you have both Penny Buns, you may draw up to two cards when placing a card atop a tree.
- Points: The Penny Bun scores no points.
Pond Turtle
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: Each Pond Turtle in your forest scores 5 points.
Purple Emperor
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Butterflies of different species form a set: you score 0, 3, 6, 12, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 different butterflies in your forest. Each card can only be part of one set.
Raccoon (aka Trash Panda)
(left/right, 4x, cost: 1)
- Effect: After you pay for the Raccoon, place any number cave card and draw the according number of cards from the deck. You may opt not to place any cards under the cave.
- Points: The Raccoon scores no points, but each card under your cave card scores 1 point.
Red Deer
(left/right, 5x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Place a deer card from your hand into your forest at no cost, without using the effect and bonus of that card.
- Points: The Red Deer scores 1 point for each tree and plant card in your forest. If you have more than one Red Deer, these points are multiplied accordingly. (Note that tree saplings also show the symbol, thus increasing the value of the Red Deer.)
Red Fox
(left/right, 5x, cost: 2)
- Effect: Draw a number of cards from the deck equal to the current number of European Hares in your forest. (Observe the hand size limit of 10 cards.)
- Points: The Red Fox scores 2 points for each European Hare in your forest. If you have more than one Red Fox, these points are multiplied accordingly. (There are 11 European Hares in the game.)
Red Squirrel
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Each Red Squirrel in your forest atop an Oak scores 5 points. Red Squirrels atop a different tree species score no points.
Roe Deer
(left/right, 5x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: The Roe Deer scores 3 points for each card in your forest showing the same tree symbol as the Roe Deer, itself included. Note that each Roe Deer shows a different tree symbol.
Silver Fir
(tree, 6x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Place a pawed animal card from your hand into your forest at no cost, without using the effect and bonus of that card.
- Points: The Silver Fir scores 2 points for each card in its card slots. Normally, a Silver Fir scores a maximum of 8 points unless there are multiple Common Toads and/or European Hares sharing one of its card slots—these additional cards also increase the value by 2 points each.
Silver-Washed Fritillary
(top, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Butterflies of different species form a set: you score 0, 3, 6, 12, or 20 points for having 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5 different butterflies in your forest. Each card can only be part of one set.
Squeaker
(left/right, 4x, cost: 0)
- Points: Each Squeaker scores 1 point.
Stag Beetle
(bottom, 2x, cost: 2)
- Bonus: Place a bird card from your hand into your forest at no cost, without using the effect and bonus of that card.
- Points: The Stag Beetle scores 1 point for each pawed animal card in your forest. If you have more than one Stag Beetle, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Sycamore
(tree, 6x, cost: 2)
- Points: The Sycamore scores 1 point for each tree card in your forest, including the Sycamore and any tree saplings. If you have more than one Sycamore in your forest, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Tawny Owl
(top, 4x, cost: 2)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Bonus: Draw two cards from the deck (in addition to the card from the effect of the Tawny Owl).
- Points: Each Tawny Owl scores 5 points.
Tree Ferns
(bottom, 3x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Draw a card from the deck.
- Points: The Tree Ferns scores 6 points for each amphibian card in your forest. If you have more than one Tree Ferns in your forest, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Tree Frog
(bottom, 3x, cost: 0)
- Points: The Tree Frog scores 5 points for each Gnat in your forest. If you have more than one Tree Frog, these points are multiplied accordingly. (There are 3 Gnats in the game.)
Violet Carpenter Bee
(left/right, 4x, cost: 1)
- Effect: Whenever the number of trees of a certain species is
required, each Violet Carpenter Bee at a tree of that species
increases that number by 1. There are only five cards for which
the Violet Carpenter Bee is relevant at all:
- Beech: Beeches do not score points unless you have at least 4 of them. For instance, 3 Beeches and a Violet Carpenter Bee at one of them count as 4 Beeches. Consequently, the 3 Beeches score 5 points each, for a total of 15 points (see Beech). You do not score 5 points for the Violet Carpenter Bee, because it is no Beech.
- Horse Chestnut: Horse Chestnuts form a set whose value depends on the total number of Horse Chestnuts in your forest; a Violet Carpenter Bee at a Horse Chestnut increases that value. For instance, 2 Horse Chestnuts and a Violet Carpenter Bee at each of them score 16 points (because you count 4 Horse Chestnuts); without the Violet Carpenter Bees, the set would score only 4 points (see Horse Chestnut).
- Linden Trees: Linden Trees score 3 points each (instead of 1 point each) if you have the most; Violet Carpenter Bees can help you with that.
- Great Spotted Woodpecker and Moss: The values of these cards depend on the total number of trees in your forest; your Violet Carpenter Bees increase that number.
- In all other cases, consider this counter example: You have 3 Oaks and a Violet Carpenter Bee at one of them, and all eight tree species. When it comes to how many Oaks you have, you would count 4 Oaks; regardless, you score only 3×10=30 points for them (see Oak), because the Violet Carpenter Bee is no Oak.
- Points: The Violet Carpenter Bee scores no points.
Wild Boar
(left/right, 5x, cost: 2)
- Points: Each Wild Boar in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains at least 1 Squeaker. If there is no Squeaker in your forest, your Wild Boar score no points.
Wild Strawberries
(bottom, 3x, cost: 0)
- Points: Each Wild Strawberries in your forest scores 10 points if your forest contains all 8 tree species: Beech, Birch, Douglas Fir, Horse Chestnut, Linden Tree, Oak, Silver Fir, and Sycamore. If you are missing at least one tree species in your forest, your Wild Strawberries score no points.
Wolf
(left/right, 4x, cost: 3)
- Effect: Draw a number of cards from the deck equal to the current number of deer cards in your forest. (Observe the hand size limit of 10 cards.)
- Bonus: Take another turn after you complete this one, again choosing between drawing and playing cards.
- Points: The Wolf scores 5 points for each deer card in your forest. If you have more than 1 Wolf, these points are multiplied accordingly.
Wood Ant
(bottom, 3x, cost: 1)
- Points: The Wood Ant scores 2 points for each card in the bottom card slot of a tree, including the Wood Ant. If you have more than one Wood Ant, these points are multiplied accordingly.