In a world teetering on environmental collapse, the novel explores the tension between maintaining pure ideological principles and the pragmatic needs for survival. The guerrilla gardeners' noble mission becomes increasingly compromised as they face financial pressures and moral dilemmas, highlighting the fragility of idealism in the face of necessity.

The stark contrast between Lemoine's high-tech survivalist approach and Birnam Wood's organic, grassroots methodology represents the broader conflict between technological solutions and natural systems. This theme examines how humanity attempts to control or work with nature, and the consequences of these different approaches.

The dynamic between wealthy influence and grassroots activism reveals how power operates in modern society. Through the interplay between Lemoine and the collective, the novel dissects how charisma, wealth, and desperation can twist noble causes and corrupt even the most steadfast idealists.